Hell In A Hand Basket
by PreventPersuadePervert
Summary: Albus Potter is a whiny little reject. Scorpius is everything Albus wants to rebel against. Athletic. Perfect Student. Heterosexual. Prefect. So why do the pair of them keep meeting all over Hogwarts, just for a chat...or more? Slash. COMPLETE!
1. Interrupt

**Author's Notes:** I intend this to be completed in about twenty posts. It will contain language, sexual content, and slash. It's not Canon, considering I made up a few characters and included all the JKR characters. Albus and Scorpius aren't really what most people expect them to be in this story. Especially Albus. If you aren't a fan of whiny teenage boys, I wouldn't read this. That's all. Enjoy.

* * *

Most people blame my poor marks on laziness. I guess that could be a factor. I tend to blame them on boring professors. Take Professor Turner for example. He's been teaching Transfiguration since my parents graduated. He isn't too old. A little gray. But Merlin, is he dull. I couldn't imagine what I'd be like if I had spent the past four years actually listening to his lectures. I'd probably be gray too, with a bonus of premature wrinkles.

My Mum thinks that punishment is a great motivational tool. In reality, punishment only works on kids without imaginations. Like my older brother, James. Take away his broom…or his owl…or even his Muggle television. Poof. James is the most subservient kid on planet earth. They could take away everything in my room and I still wouldn't change a damn thing. I have my brain, and if I can find paper and a quill to scribble on, I could live in the middle of the woods.

Poor ickle Jamie would die within a few days.

My parents punished me all summer for failing out of Divination. To be honest, I hadn't wanted to take the course. I had just signed up in third year so that I could have another class with Athena MacDonald. She's a Ravenclaw, and probably the only friend I have at school. I tend to piss people off a lot…I think it could be my attitude. Athena's been my friend since first year, when I told her quite openly that I didn't like girls. I also told her that her parents had named her incorrectly. Athena, the Muggle Greek goddess of knowledge and war, didn't suit her blonde, air headed personality. She had surprisingly just laughed at me.

It isn't that I hate people. I don't even think I'm better than anyone. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm below almost everybody.

Anyway, our fifth year was already on a roll into October. Professor Turner was rambling on about vanishing tea kettles when I heard a loud banging sound from the corner of the classroom. It sounded like someone was tossing around pots and pans. I didn't see anything of course, considering that my head was down resting on my arms, which were curled up on top of my books. I had managed to contort my ridiculously petite body up into a very feline like position.

Actually, I was just starting to get a really good sleep on when I felt something poking my left hand. I squinted one eye open and saw it was an old bent up piece of parchment. I sent my best glare at Athena, who didn't bother looking back at me. I unfolded her ruddy note and blinked hard to get the sleep out of my eyes.

"_Check out Scorpius…he gets more stunning every year, I think,"_

I went to grab my quill and almost knocked over the ink well in the process. My eyes darted across the room to the very disheveled figure of Scorpius Malfoy. In my family, he's known as the Little Prince. And no, its not a compliment. I supposed that the big banging noise that had almost woken me out of my afternoon nap had been old Scor. That bloke was late way more often than I fell asleep. So really, Professor Turner owes me some credit here. Everyone in school thought Malfoy was something to be noticed. I thought he was really a stuck up crow. So that's what I decided to tell Athena.

"_His hair is too blond. It's almost white. White hair = not attractive. Secondly, he is far too pale to exist. Like he's literally one shade away from transparent. Plus, his snotty down the nose attitude doesn't match his exterior." _

I even wrote my own little heart after it. Well, Athena doesn't really like to converse with anyone who disagrees. Especially when the subject is men. So she gave me her best little hair flip and stared haughtily out the window. I spent the rest of class watching Scorpius Malfoy read some old looking book underneath his desk.

* * *

Later that day, after avoiding a few seventh years who love catching me alone, I went to the library. I love to read. Just not dull textbooks. Hogwarts has a pretty extensive art book collection, if you know where to look. I went totally unnoticed into the far left corner. There, on the bottom of the lonely shelf, stood my only favorite part about the stupid library. Eighteen thick, gold leafed art books. There aren't too many famous magical artists. I cracked the newest one open and sat down right on the rug. There was entire section on iron work sculpting. It managed to entertain me for over two hours until dinner time. I don't really care for mealtimes, usually because I either eat alone or around my family. Lily doesn't mind if I come around, but James pretends I don't exist. Once he found out I wasn't going to be his Quidditch playing, partying fool in miniature, he suddenly became an only child. Rose was alright…but she was so nosy. Eating dinner with her was a game of twenty questions. I'd cut off my left arm to dine with Athena, but life is just unfair that way.

Resorting to my fate, I closed the gorgeous art book and stood up. My eye caught sight of a bulky figure with almost stark white hair at one of the circular tables. Stupid Scorpius. In the library trying to look so smart…I left entirely focused in my thoughts about hating him. In fact, I was so into my little demented thoughts that when I ran into my cousin Lucy I almost fell. It's hard to walk ten feet without bumping into a fucking relative. The only ones not at school anymore were Victoire, and Teddy since he counted as family just as much. They were shacking up together somewhere in London. Ted Lupin was my favorite relative. The only disgusting thing about him was his taste in ladies.

Lucy wasn't a bad cousin. She was just bookish and kind of frumpy. Her older sister Molly had gotten all the looks. It was kind of a toss up with Uncle Percy's kids. Molly got no brain and a huge rack, and poor old Luce looks like the girl version of her dear old dad. Nothing against my Uncle- but, please.

"Evening Luce,"

"_You _were in the library, Albus?" she said as if it was the strangest event that could ever happen.

All my good feelings towards her melted faster than cheap ice cream. "Yeah, I was actually."

"Bit late to save your Divination mark, isn't it?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. I was just about to make some stupid childish comment about how unfortunate it was that it was too late to save her from being born ugly, but, seeing as it was a new term, I had decided I should try to mature. Learn from my mistakes. Take insults in stride. And all that other dragon shit. So instead I just flipped her off, (which for whatever reason is less immature. I don't know why. It just is), and stormed into the Great Hall.

Athena was just feet away, laughing it up at the Ravenclaw table with some horse faced bloke. With another resentful sigh, I slumped beside Rose at my house table. She looked up at me in surprise.

"Hey Al,"

I nodded grumpily in her direction.

"What's wrong? You look a little down,"

I kind of wanted to laugh. "That's just how my face is made to look, Rose." I said seriously and piled my plate high with shepherd's pie. Might as well fill up since I never bother going down to breakfast.

Lily and Hugo were sitting a bit down from me and Rose. They weren't talking to each other, which was an interesting change. Lily was with two identical twin girls, and Hugo wasn't actually talking at all. He was shoving forkfuls of meat into his mouth while gazing over at the Hufflepuff table. I followed his stare, which lead to a smiley fourth year with dark brown eyes. Rose, of course, had noticed this as well.

"He has such a major crush…I just wish he wouldn't eat like that," she said with a sigh.

I actually laughed at that, which was apparently a huge mistake. Rose took it as a sign of friendliness. I hated to tell her I was only using her presence so that I didn't look like a total freak at my own house table.

"Erm…" I said through a mouthful of potatoes.

"First Quidditch game of the season is on Saturday! Gryffindor versus Slytherin of course…you wanna go with us?"

It amused me how her voice had tapered down with the sight of my uninterested expression. "Yeah, right."

"Well, Jamie's playing so I thought maybe…since its his last year, being captain…" she mumbled into her carrots. "Never mind."

I glared down to the front end of the house table. James was trying to stuff four rolls into his mouth while his teammates cheered on stupidly. I almost puked up my supper. But, like I mentioned, I was trying to improve myself this year. And if improvement included academics and attitude…I guess my social skills could use a tune up.

"I'll come."

"Really?" she sat straight up in total shock. Her beans even fell off her fork.

"Yeah," I forced a smile and then choked on my dinner as payment.

Right. So I hate sports, people, and especially athletes. And school spirit. And I just signed up to possibly waste a Saturday staring at all those things in the rain. Bloody gorgeous.


	2. Creep

A/N: I hope I answered the reviews properly. Enjoy.

* * *

Saturday came much too quickly for me. Before I knew it, I was fastening my cloak and staring into the mirror that hung off the back of the loo door. All my dorm mates were overexcited. Behind me all I heard were comments about brooms, players, rivalries…all of which I knew almost nothing about. I wasn't even sure who exactly played on the Gryffindor team. Except for my dear old brother, of course. A weird, unsettling feeling drifted down my body all the way from my ears to my shoes.

I didn't feel like I belonged there. I kind of already knew that. Pure ignorance for four solid years has that side effect. I couldn't really blame anyone but myself. I turned and faced my dorm mates. I didn't know them. And they didn't know me. They knew my name…my family. They knew stupid things, like what electives I took, and what broomstick I owned and never even used. No one in my own house had any clue that each day felt like a masquerade ball. I got out of bed each morning and put on a show for all the world to tolerate. Why?

Loads of reasons. Some of them I wasn't even aware of.

"You actually comin' to the match, Albus?" asked Peter Brown, a lanky looking boy who slept in the bed adjacent to mine.

I nodded. "First time for everything, I expect."

Peter shook his head and smiled. "You gotta get out more."

It wasn't a lie so I just shrugged. I went with Peter to the Common Room, where Rose stood waiting with three people I didn't recognize by name. She didn't waste time introducing her friends either.

"We're going to get lousy seats! Let's go," Rose whined.

I kept silent as I followed the Girl With Too Many Freckles out of the portrait hole. On past matches, I had slept in to all of this chaos. All the festivity. Who could have known I could sleep through sound that could only be equaled by a freight train?

The Girl With Too Many Freckles turned to me with her Conversation Face on. I tried to break my former habit of rushing ahead of her or picking my nails. I offered her a small smile and watched her Conversation Face light up.

"You're Jamie's lil brother! I don't think I've met you before,"

"Yeah well, we don't hang out much."

My cold and unfriendly tone never seems to turn girls off. Another reason why I don't find them too attractive. Except for Athena.

Girl shook her head, her many blonde ringlet curls bouncing. "He must be loads of fun during breaks. What with Jamie being such a good Chaser and your mum used to play for the Harpies… I bet its non-stop Quidditch and all that. Is it true the Tornados already want to recruit him?"

"That's what they say." I felt a pang of ridiculous jealousy.

By the time we started down the pitch, a swarm of dark gray clouds were already hovering above Hogwarts. It was very symbolic of how I felt. Not to sound completely pathetic…but I guess I am envious of my family. James is so talented…and Lily is so smart. With Rose and Hugo, it's the same thing. Hugo, (I think), played on our house team, and Rose was the best student in our year, if not in Gryffindor overall. All of my cousins were good at something, or they were really funny, or insanely popular. I wasn't any of those things. I was naturally backwards. I used to stutter. I flunk out of classes where half the coursework your supposed to invent out of your ass…I guess my stupidity could count as funny. But that kind of funny didn't make you popular.

Even Athena was popular, despite the mega negative fact that she was my best friend. She never asked if I would go down to the Quidditch matches. I suppose that could be because we were from different houses. Or that she knew I wouldn't be any fun whatsoever.

The grass down by the stadium was completely drenched from the previous night's downpour. Mud squelched underneath my shoes unpleasantly. No one else seemed to really care about the mud. In fact, their only concern about the weather was that it might tamper with the players' visibility. I became insanely thrilled when we were finally sitting down on the clean, dry bench. Rose sat to my left while the Girl With Too Many Freckles sat beside me on my right.

"Look, there they are…" Rose said with a somewhat unattractive sneer on her face.

Seven dark green clad blurs on brooms whizzed past the Gryffindor section. They received such a loud boo from behind me, I thought the vibrations might knock me off my seat. In fact, Slytherin received such negative reactions from about every section except for their own. I kind of felt like rooting for them just on that point alone. Everyone loves an underdog. But I knew I'd be tarred and feathered, (probably by my own cousin), if I dared to cheer on Gryffindor's most hated rival.

The benches around me then took on a different sound. Now everyone was cheering their bloody guts out. I knew why, of course. I looked away from Slytherin's end of the pitch to our side. Now, seven scarlet blurs were rushing around the field on light speed. At the front end of their formation, the very tip of their red and gold creation, I knew was James. Captain. Head Boy. King Of The World. The players came to a stop on the muddy grass below and got into their starting positions. My brother was out in the center, ready to shake the hand of the Slytherin captain, Robert Flint. They did the exchange in a short and cold manner. The rivalry was much more intense than I had thought. Usually house stuff went right over my head. I didn't like the Slytherins just as much as I didn't like the Hufflepuffs, etc.

Rose grabbed at my arm so hard she almost popped it from its socket. "Flint is such an old bastard. Jamie can't wait to kick his arse,"

My eyes widened. So my genius cousin had finally discovered profanity? "Nice mouth, Rosie."

Her pale cheeks flushed as scarlet as Gryffindor's robes and she let go of my arm. Fourteen brooms rose up into the sky, now nearly eye level with our bench. I looked up and met the face of my brother, who actually stared back at me. I could swear I saw the tiniest bit of total shock in his eyes before the whistle sounded. The game had begun.

The commentator, Lorcan Scamander, apparently had some kind of cult following. Several students had his face printed on t-shirts. A few minutes into the match lead me to discover why.

"Alright…Flint has the Quaffle…and he drops it right to his teammate, Milton…no? Magnus, right…sure…it was Milton when I said it last term…anyway, Moron drops the Quaffle right into the hands of the _gorgeous_ Gryffindor Alexa Li Delarino, who, of course, makes a brilliant goal right through the left side of keeper, _'Doesn't Let You Scor' _Malfoy,"

I had been snickering over Lorcan's commentary, right up until Scorpius was mentioned. Of _course_ he played for his house team, I tried not to roll my eyes right out of my skull. It wasn't enough that the big oaf was prefect, oh no. He was on his house team _too_. It reminded me of a blonder, more muscular James. I looked down Slytherin's end of the pitch, and, sure enough, there he…hovered? He was doing a block maneuver against Alexa, and this time he succeeded. This spawned many boos from the students around me. Mr. 'Doesn't Let You Scor', didn't even falter. Guess he was used to the ridicule.

Lorcan's words boomed around the field. "DOUBLE DRAGON DUNG! I mean…Martin Higgs makes a pass and scores. Tie, 10 to 10. Sorry Professor, I made quite a few bets on this match…"

I looked over at the commentator's stage. Professor Turner looked completely appalled beside Lorcan. Whether that was because of the illegal betting, or his word choice, you couldn't exactly tell.

Rose and her friends were laughing their arses off. One of them was wearing a Lorcan shirt, which kind of made me want to have one myself. That dreadful feeling of displacement was kind of dissipating…but I still felt weird. I mean, everyone probably did expect me to give two pulls about sports. Dad played for his house team and was probably the most famous Seeker in what, _ever_? And Mum only retired from the Holyhead Harpies two years ago. I came from sport stock. Even Lily had tried out. I hadn't even been to a game before.

The Girl With Too Many Freckles then handed me half of her giant banner. It was probably an old sheet, but she had bewitched a lion face onto it, and it actually roared. I was impressed, so I helped her hold it up into the wind as my brother scored.

"YAY JAMES!" echoed Rose and her friends. They were jumping around in such fervent excitement they almost knocked me outta my seat. Even the Girl celebrated by yanking my arm up with hers as we jolted the banner hard above our heads.

A heated feeling spread inside me a little. I kind of wanted us to win. Everyone else did, so it had to be mob psychology…right? Right…

* * *

As it turned out, we did win.

The entire house was crammed into the common room. Crisps, biscuits, and a red and gold cake to boot, were spread out on the table along with huge bottles of pumpkin juice and butterbeer. Gold and scarlet balloons, signs, and streamers, decorated every available inch of space. It was like Christmas, only with less presents and more burping contests. The team was a muddy wet mess, but no one seemed to care. Everyone was high fiving, back clapping, hugging. Loud music blasted out of someone's beat up old wireless. Rose had forced a beer in my one hand, and crisps into the other. She was passing out balloons now with her friend in the Lorcan shirt. I spied James in the center of the attention, and Lily was right on his heels. He didn't ignore her though. He let her in his little circle, and even picked her up and swung her around.

That I wasn't envious over. I didn't fancy being spun like a toddler. But _talking _to my brother would be nice. Maybe, anyways. I was starting to feel like an outsider again. As if my house mates were on one side of a window, and I was alone on the opposite side. Just a bystander. Maybe it's my poor social skills preventing me from conversation…and maybe not. I ate the chips and took a huge swig out of the butterbeer. First time that day I realized how hungry I actually was. Usually I never get so starved on a Saturday. Then again, being smashed in a crowd and yelling till your throat bleeds probably burns more energy then sleeping and reading art books.

Rose came back over and tied a scarlet balloon to my wrist. "Thanks,"

"Sure! So did you like the match?"

I felt myself nodding without my brain's permission. "It was ok. Little wet."

She laughed. "Well, you can't count on the weather…Oy! James,"

My brother had been talking with Hugo about some kind of new tactic for the next match against Ravenclaw. He stopped and smiled at Rose.

"So…you talked Al into coming to the game, eh?" his little attitude of a self professed champ was on his face, but his eyes were soft when they scanned my own.

"Yeah, she managed to…wasn't too bad."

"Told you. It's in your blood. Gunna come to the next one?"

"Perhaps." I forced my usual coldness out of my voice, which ended up sounding high-pitched for all my trouble.

He grinned big. "Cool,"

James stalked off behind Rose to a group of pretty, (and pretty lightheaded), sixth year girls. My cousin snickered.

"What's so funny?"

Rose shrugged. "Your brother. The fact that we won. _And_ the fact that the Little Prince is so ticked off."

The mentioning of his name made my left eye almost twitch. Was I getting that obsessive?

"Why?"

"Don't you remember?" she asked incredulously. At my expression of obvious stupidity, she sighed. "After the game, ol' Hickens called a major foul on Malfoy for talking crap about Alexa. Said since it was so vulgar, he wouldn't be allowed to play in their next match against Hufflepuff." Rose grinned.

"What'd he call her?"

"Beats me," she shrugged again. "Want another balloon?"

The party lasted well into the night. It wasn't until our Head of House, none other than Turner, came in through the portrait hole and insisted we all hit the sack. There were a lot of complaints and comments about how we should party like this for every win. I followed some first year up the steps and almost knocked him over when he paused to throw up his arms and yawn.

My dorm mates were already stripping off their still damp cloaks and weekend Muggle attire. That meant normal looking shirts and jeans, for a change. I took off into the loo as usual and undressed there. But they were used to my odd behavior. I guess they thought I was shy. But in reality, I just didn't want to watch _them_ undress. It gave me enough odd feelings when I was younger and I wasn't keen on continuing the experience. If they knew I liked blokes, they would probably be happy about my abnormality. I put on a ratty old sweater and pajama bottoms and went to bed.

However, after one am, it was apparent they didn't want to sleep. Everyone was yammering about the match, even tubby little Quigley Longbottom. Sighing, I leaned over my bed and pulled my trunk open. I took out the map my father had given me two years ago and shut the lid. No one seemed to care. They were too busy over-explaining feinting to Quigley.

I tapped my wand to the old blank parchment and murmured, "_I solemnly swear I am up to no good_,"

Instantly, long black lines began to form Hogwarts on the map. Thousands of inky dots with small names written beside them, walked in time. It was an amazing invention. I had been kind of awed that my Dad would trust me with it…and he had used it at school too. He had also given me his invisibility cloak…Dad had really forbidden me to tell anyone about that one. _Especially _James. But he told me that I seemed the most level headed out of us kids…poor man. If he only knew.

No one had ever heard of a Marauder's Map. Dad hadn't give me the full story on the little treasure, except that he didn't make it. His godfather, Sirius, my grandfather, James, Teddy's dad Remus, and some traitor named Peter Pettigrew, had made it when they were in Hogwarts a long time ago. I didn't know anything besides that. Dad never liked to discuss dead people, and that lot had been stiff for quite some time.

Being as it was way past hours, all the student dots were in their respective houses. Most of the teachers had even tucked in for the night. Turner was still wandering around, so was Professor Longbottom. The ghosts too. It looked like a perfect night to get out. I hadn't snuck around the castle yet all term, and it was basically my favorite past time. I thought about it only for a moment, then I slid the map into my sweater pocket. I didn't have to wait long for the other blokes to fall asleep. Peter and Quigley finally hushed up around three o' clock. Quietly, I rose out of bed and tiptoed over to my trunk. On went my bathrobe and on went Dad's cloak. I truly felt some comfort in being invisible. I always wondered if ghosts felt that way, too. Too bad the cloak didn't stop me from being solid. Then I could wander through walls and actually disappear.

I didn't look at the map again until after I had exited the portrait hole. I didn't really see a need to anyway. No one is ever around after three. I managed to get halfway down the stairs to the sixth floor before meeting anyone. The ghost of The Grey Lady floated by, her translucent pearly face twisted in its usual hardened expression. I took out the map and watched her dot pace back and forth near the entrance to the Ravenclaw's tower on the fifth floor. Ancient Professor Vector must have been coerced into patrol duty. He was the only teacher still awake that I noticed. His dot roamed all around the Entrance Hall. However, the two marks that should have stood out the most finally caught my attention. The dots were unmoving and labeled very close together. One read "Violet Nott", and the other belonged to Malfoy.

A strange tingling sensation had started to irritate my skin. At that moment, a very interesting plan came to mind. I _was_ invisible after all. The two lovebirds would blame any mischievous activities on a spirit. Hogwarts was full of those, it was pretty much common knowledge. I half ran down to the third floor. Heart racing, (I need more exercise), I rechecked the map to make sure they were still inside the chamber. Then without actually thinking, I pushed on the solid frame of the door and managed to open it up enough to squeeze into the room.

"…what was that noise?" said a female voice.

But the tone of her voice sounded very wrong. It seemed like Violet might have been crying. I resisted the urge to sarcastically snort. One, because its unattractive, and two, because I'd definitely be noticed. I shut the door silently behind me and crept as far away from it as I could. The chamber wasn't very large, but it was extremely dark, even for castle standards. There were two candles in the far left corner of the room, but their glow didn't even begin to reach where I stood. Neither Malfoy or Violet had lit their wands.

"I don't know…I didn't hear anything," Old Scor answered her, his voice all uptight. What was up his arse?

I forced myself to quietly glide, ghostlike (ha-ha), towards the pair of them. They weren't exposed or gross or anything, which set my worst fears to rest. Walking in on intercourse…I've done it. It's not as pleasant or as creepy as it sounds. Point is, I've had my fill of interrupting teenage romance. Malfoy, however, did look a tad disheveled. The buttons on his dark purple pajama top weren't in their correct holes. His usually perfect white blond hair was tussled, and he also looked extremely tired. There were even dark circles beneath his steely gray eyes.

Violet looked good for three in the morning. The only evidence of her crying were tear streaks on her face. But her make up was still on, and she was still wearing a Muggle top and a pair of tight denims. Over that was a gigantic black cloak that could only belong to Malfoy. Violet was practically swimming in it. She would have been pretty, even to me, if her eyes hadn't looked so cold. I didn't really recognize her. That meant I either knew less than I thought, or she wasn't in fifth year.

My entire plan of messing with the two lovebirds went straight out the window. Picking up some gossip on two stupid Slytherins-, not really as fun as fucking with them. I turned to just leave. Maybe someone else could be picked on. There was that lovely evening I found two very popular Ravenclaws under a table in the library after hours. I can't remember what was funnier. The fact that I had them convinced I was Peeves, or that it was my _Semi_-Permanent Sticking charm that prevented her knickers from coming off. Magic is both a dangerous and wonderful thing.

But then Malfoy recaptured my attention. "I didn't mean to hurt you. It's not like she meant anything…we didn't do…I swear, we didn't, Violet,"

I almost snickered. Figures old Scor would be a cheating prat.

Violet looked away. Actually, she was looking at me. But what people don't know won't hurt them.

"Claudia used to be my friend…why would you do that to me? After all I went through with her…"

Malfoy sighed. "All I can do is apologize."

Scor's little bird apparently didn't like any kind of apologizing. Her words came back lashing, hateful, and kind of cruel. I loved it.

"Claudia told everyone in our dorm that the only reason you two didn't shag was because you couldn't even _get on with it_! And then blamed it on the fact that you were 'so in love with me', that's dragon shit. And you know it!" she half-screamed. I kind of expected old Professor Vector to come bustling in.

I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing. It was better than a film or something on James's Muggle tele. Malfoy started to talk, then stopped. He was actually at a loss for words.

Or, you know, not.

"I do. I do love you." he said softly, but he mumbled it at the ground.

Violet had heard it anyway. She reached for his hand and I watched their long, pale fingers lace together. That's when I finally turned on the heel of my slipper and left. I didn't bother with trying to be quiet when shutting the door, either. But it gave me only a tiny bit of satisfaction to hear their confused, hushed comments about a ghost with a voyeur fetish.


	3. Shocker Pt 1

A/N: The Halloween scene is two posts long. I don't think I'll do something like that again. I hope I answered the reviews I did receive. I never expect many, but there are a lot of alerts on this, which is shady...Reviews peassss.

* * *

Believe it or not, but I really adore Halloween.

The holiday décor at Hogwarts was always fantastic. It used to actually scare me my first and second years. I was kind of wimpy then. I kind of am now, too, but in a different way. I also like how the weather changes. The temperature has dropped by the end of October. Rain and even snow chill the earth. It reminds me that my favorite season, winter, is about to begin. I'd probably be called crazy for thinking that way, which is exactly why most of my thoughts go unheard.

By the time Halloween actually rolled around, I had pushed the scene between Malfoy and Violet out of my head. I could remember being bothered by what I had seen. I just couldn't make myself feel what was wrong with it. It was like a cut that had already healed and scabbed over.

"So I can use it tonight then? Are you sure you don't mind loaning me it because…" Athena and I were outside Greenhouse four. She always walked down there with me after Transfiguration.

"You can borrow the map. Of course I don't mind. Just give it back at breakfast," I said quietly and slipped her my father's old Marauders map. I tried not to look too suspicious.

She took it and tucked it securely between her textbooks. "Now, how do I use it again?"

I sighed and whispered, "_I solemnly swear I am up to no good_," right into her ear.

Athena smiled. "You're doing me a great favor, Al. I'll owe you. So will Erik of course,"

I snorted. She only needed the map because Mr. Seventh Year had invited her to some underground party in one of the dungeons. A Halloween party. And as always, my best friend never thought to invite me too. Athena probably thought Erik meant this as some kind of date. I didn't have the heart in me at the time to warn her that he probably just meant to get into her knickers.

"Well, just promise you won't get into trouble then. You did promise to accompany me to Hogsmeade next trip." I tried to smile but it just didn't stick.

Athena's grin was wide. "Of course! See you later,"

I watched her sprint off to the castle for her Arithmacy class. With a designated feeling of hardened ignorance, I haughtily entered the greenhouse. As always, Professor Longbottom greeted me with intense enthusiasm. It was hard having him as a teacher and a family friend. Maybe it would be different once I graduated, but I wasn't sure. Having his family at our holiday parties just always looked peculiar.

"Good morning, Albus."

"Morning Professor," I said as politely as I could manage. I joined the table with the same three Hufflepuff strangers I always got grouped in with. Each of them were awkward and shy so we worked together well. None of that distracting friendship nonsense.

The rest of the Gryffindor's came in late from Turner's class. Athena and I always skipped out before he could rope us in to staying for extra questions. Neville didn't really seem to mind and went right into his lecture on these strange looking flowers that when tickled beneath their petals, they would multiply by five. Of course once he informed everyone of that little tidbit, everyone started tickling their stupid bulbs.

I left class covered in loose petals and smelling like my grandmother.

The Halloween feast was spectacular as usual. The enchanted ceiling above showed the mirror image of the dark, starry sky outside. There were carved pumpkins in every corner, long black tapered candles hung low over the house tables. Mingled in with all the savory dishes stood huge bowls of sweets and trays of candy coated apples. The Hogwarts ghosts reenacted their deaths above the faculty table as entertainment. The entire show ended with a mock battle between the suits of armor.

On past occasions, Athena and I would usually sneak around the castle after hours. This was the first year she decided to make other plans. So instead I slumped into a chair in the common room with a book I had checked out of the library a few days ago. The tower wasn't as crowded, which I expected. Everyone was out causing mischief in one way or another. I started to really wish I could be a part of it. Then it occurred to me that I still could be. Just because I didn't have my map didn't mean I was barred from leaving the tower all night.

I sprinted back upstairs. I rummaged in my trunk for the cloak, which had hid itself under my school robes. I had never been given a detention, despite the number of midnight outings I had under my belt. I tossed the library book in with my homework and slammed the lid shut. When I went back down to the common room, it seemed even less populated than when I left. I threw the cloak over myself while still in the stairwell. I was invisible once again. The cloak may be wide and loose, but to me the concealing fabric felt like a second skin. I exited through the portrait hole and caused quite a commotion. My housemates had seen the Fat Lady swing open and closed of its own accord. I could swear I heard a first year scream as I slid out into the deserted hallway.

I glided easily through the castle. I was half-tempted to go to the dungeons and ghost crash the Ravenclaws' party. Maybe some of them would even mistake me for Peeves again. But when I came to the large, dark corridor, I decided against it.

Even though it was Halloween, it seemed kind of a stupid thing to do. Almost childish. Plus, I didn't want to see what I was missing. So instead I walked back to the basement. Suddenly the hallway looked a lot darker than usual. Perhaps I just felt more insecure without my map. Then I heard it. Somebody was speaking. Whomever they were speaking to, spoke too softly for me to understand anything. I crept closer towards the conversation. I drifted past the tall portrait of the fruit bowl that I knew concealed the house-elves and the large kitchen. At the end of the corridor, Malfoy was talking to a painting. I almost walked out closer but something stopped me. This would have been the second time I eavesdropped on the prat. Talk about stalker. It wasn't worth it. I yanked the cloak off and stuffed it into my pocket. It bulged now but at least Mr. Perfection would see me coming.

I walked back out of the shadows as casual as possible. I ambled towards the great fool as if I honestly had no inkling of his presence, as I'm sure he would do once he spotted me. I figured he would either simply go on talking to the witch in the portrait, or maybe he would silence himself and then give me his best glare.

But he didn't. He didn't do either of those things.

"Happy Halloween, Albus." Malfoy said softly, his face looking miserable in the dim lighting.

Well, hell.


	4. Shocker Pt 2

A/N: Thanks for the reviews.

* * *

I caught myself gaping at Malfoy like a fish left out of water. Had he actually spoken to me? To be honest I had no response for that. I never planned for a positive reaction.

"Uh, same to you!" I blurted out. I wondered if he noticed how shocked I was. I mean, I hadn't even known that the kid knew my name.

His stormy gray eyes scanned me from my fake nonchalant expression to that awkward pocket bulge I was sporting. "What're you doing down here? It's after hours, you know."

As if on automatic, Malfoy's fingers drifted up to pet the shiny Prefect's badge pinned to the front of his robes. My eyes almost crossed in frustration. I was such an _idiot_. The Little Prince wanted to see if he could get me into detention!

"I was strapping dung bombs underneath all the basement toilets." I sneered.

"Really?" I watched his pale eyebrows drift up under his bangs.

"No."

"I should write you up. But that just isn't my thing."

I snorted. Malfoy looked away, trying to mask his confusion. He was sitting on the small ledge beside the tall portrait he had been talking to. The sallow looking witch with a pipe that occupied it was now missing.

"What are _you_ doing in the basement?"

Slowly, I watched as Malfoy drifted out of his thoughts. For such a sorry sod, he sure was preoccupied.

"I was actually supposed to meet people for this Halloween…dungeon…thing. I just left."

Of course he had been invited. Now at least I knew that party was a bloody joke.

I stared openly at the blank canvas, recalling the fight Malfoy had unknowingly had in front of me with Violet Nott a few weeks ago. For some reason, I knew that Violet was the cause for the Little Prince's departure from the haunted soiree. He deserves it for knowingly dating such an awful piece of work.

"If you don't mind me asking…uh, what were you talking to her-," I pointed to the canvas, "-about?"

Malfoy looked away from me and rubbed at the back of his neck. He didn't blush though. Maybe being so pale did something to his skin and fucked up his blood.

"Nothing."

"Don't be so shy, child!" croaked the witch from the painting. It was so unexpected that I caught both of us jumping.

"Er…" I stammered.

Long tendrils of smoke were drifting out of her pipe. "He's havin' women troubles, aren't you deary? Poor lad!" she guffawed loudly.

I could feel a smile twitching around the corners of my lips. I had been right again.

"Ah, right." Malfoy sighed miserably, still looking anywhere but in my direction. "You best be getting to your dorm, Al."

Again that stupid git surprised me. Only this time it felt strange. Athena had never even called me by that nickname. Only family members had ever referred to me as Al. Malfoy was getting way too personal considering he was virtually a stranger. He was someone I wanted to _stay_ a stranger. Subconsciously, I squeezed the odd bulge in my pocket that hid my invisibility cloak. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that I had removed my shield in the hallway prior to visiting the Little Prince.

I skirted around him as I exited and didn't bothering bidding him a good evening. I didn't even want to turn around and meet the pair of eyes that burned into my back as I rushed up the stairs.

* * *

"_Al,_

_Your father and I hope you are doing well. Your O.W.L.s are fast approaching and we shouldn't have to remind you that they are very important. I pray you have good marks so far and you better bring home better grades at the end of the semester. Your sister offered to tutor you in Charms, which is very kind of Lily so take her up on her offer. Your father and I will be waiting at Kings Cross to pick you up for the winter holidays. Please don't forget anything. Also, what sort of art supplies are we supposed to be wrapping up for your Christmas gifts? You'll have to drop me and your father a note. We're attempting this Muggle "online" ordering. _

_Love from,_

_Your Mum XOXO._

I rolled my eyes and tossed the letter next to my eggs. It wasn't even a day into November and my mother was already pressing me about O.W.L.S. I wasn't scared. Uncle George and my late Uncle Fred barely had any O.W.L.S and no N.E.W.T.S. And they opened the most successful chain of joke shops in wizarding countries around the world. For once, I actually felt like eating breakfast. After such a peculiar Halloween night, just about anything felt normal.

Athena slumped beside me. I was about to tell her to eat at her own smart kid table, but then I saw the pitiful look on her face.

"Erik's a right old prick. He spent most of the night with his stupid friends and when I told him I was going to leave, he jokes about how I'm a tease! Then he tried to snog me. It was embarrassing,"

I patted her arm in what I hoped looked like an attempt at consoling her. "I'm sorry. How'd you get out of it?"

"I kissed him back a little. Then I just said I was meeting someone else, you know, to see if he would get jealous." She slid the folded map across the table. "Erik didn't even care."

I frowned. "You deserve better than him anyway. I don't know why you pick such losers,"

Athena didn't even defend her choices. She just nodded and took a drink out of my goblet. "What did you do all night? Read?"

If I was a lesser man, I would have blushed. Sucking way too much air through my teeth, I blurted out, "No. I was hanging around the castle…with Malfoy."

I sat there for the next forty seconds contemplating whether or not ruining my life was worth seeing Athena's dopey green eyes bug right out of her head.

"_Scorpius_ Malfoy?" she said in awe, as if I had been hanging out with Merlin.

"Yeah. I ran into him and we uh…hung out. No big deal."

"I thought you hated him."

Damn it. I did hate the big idiot. "I do. But I was bored... so you know. It's whatever."

"Well like what did you talk about?" Athena leaned into me, totally engrossed.

"Oh…Halloween…his girlfriend. He was _totally_ confiding in me. Asked me for advice." I forced a forkful of eggs down my throat. Maybe I hoped it would soak up the big fat lie I was telling.

"Wow. Are you guys going to be like…friends now?"

"Nah. Like I said, I hate him. No big deal."

The doors to the Great Hall burst open and a flood of late, hungry students poured in. Among the crowd was in fact Scorpius. Violet was right beside him, clinging onto his arm as if she were the luckiest person in the world. I blanched. Right. No big deal.


	5. Pointless

A/N: Thanks to anyone who put this on their alert list or even reviewed.

* * *

As November crept by, the weather outside Hogwarts became unbearably cold. I couldn't walk down to the greenhouses without freezing my arse off. I suppose it would help if I didn't insist on wearing the same pair of fingerless gloves I had purchased two years ago. The extra holes in the stitching probably didn't improve matters. I also refused to wear any kind of hat. I'm just not into them. Scarves, sure. However, dealing with Athena's taunts about how my hands looked like they belonged to a fifty year old grandmother was enough reason for me to write my parents and tell them I could use a pair of new knit gloves for Christmas.

"Tell her you need a hat too," Athena mumbled from behind my arm, where she was watching me write the note on a spare bit of parchment.

"Hats are for bald people." I said flatly.

Her glare was a mixture of confusion and irritation. "Your ears turn bright red in the cold."

"I know." I sighed. "I'm stupid."

"You aren't. Just stubborn."

"Oh yeah. That too,"

We were half out of breath from walking the long trek down from Divination, the very class I flunked last term. I found out if you just lie a lot, you pass. Lunch had already started in the Great Hall, meaning Athena and I were late again. I forced my frigid hands deep into my robe pockets and prayed that there was a warm drink waiting for me at the table.

Athena shrugged away my comment as we walked past a group of Slytherins, who were crowded around Malfoy as if he were a holy entity. They were a real motley crew. Next to them old Scor did look bloody gorgeous. Maybe that's why people are so impressed by him. Key to beauty? Have hideous mates.

"Why don't you go say hello, hmm?" Athena chided. Her voice was layered with a sickening sound. Kind of like hope.

"Um. No. We're not that close to where I want to hang around his slimy friends,"

It came to the point in the corridor where I had to manually shove Athena into the Great Hall.

"I could have a shot with him you know!"

I rolled my eyes, having no clue as to why Athena was suddenly on my final nerve. "He has someone."

"And your point would be?"

"It's a known fact that the Slytherins rarely date outside their own house. So you can blame the society of Hogwarts. Not me."

Athena hadn't even been listening to me at all. She had been re-adjusting her blouse from where I had grabbed the sleeves in order to drag her bony arse out of the hallway. She sniffed the air in her typical, haughty way and stalked off to her house table.

"Good," I grumbled to no one and took a seat between Rose and my sister, Lily.

"What's so great?" Lily looked up as I started to fill my plate. She gasped, "Your hands look horrid."

"Thank you snot head." I said cheerfully and layered my salad in a perfect circle.

She stuck her tongue out at me but then quickly reversed her action. The strange, ominous shadows over my tableware should have been a tip off. Too bad I didn't have the time to flee.

"Afternoon, siblings." chimed James.

Behind him there was chuckling and some weird incoherent chatter. I could see he brought with him the geniuses of the school, also known as the Quidditch team. Hugo quickly sat down with us and ate like a starved horse, his red and gold robes a bit damp from the snow outside. I stared up at James and his cronies. One was a dim witted looking fellow whose hair resembled moldy straw. The other was decent looking, but even though I knew he had spent summer at our house once, all I could recall was that his name was Zachary.

"Ickle Albus. You should have tried out for the team, you know. Turner let us skip morning classes to prepare for tomorrow's match." James winked.

"Yeah." I rolled my eyes at the table. The git knew full well I spent as much time on a broom as I did studying Divination.

Zachary snorted. "Oh Al's no flyer, Jamie. Remember when we made him keep for us two summers ago? Dreadful, really."

He made a weird exchange of glances with my brother, who snickered. The straw boy laughed along like a complete idiot.

"Yeah baby brother. I think Lily's got a better shot,"

"She's brilliant." I murmured.

James frowned and put on a voice loaded with mock concern, "I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sure you have talent in something, hidden, I expect." he slapped me hard on the back and toddled away as his friends followed him.

I looked up from the table to see even Hugo giving me pity eyes. Gag.

"I need to use the library. I have a huge essay due on ways to incapacitate a troll. See you in Charms, Rose." I stood up and left as fast as I could before any of them could open their mouths.

* * *

After the oh-so lovely lunchtime conversation with James, I sure as hell wasn't about to drag my freezing behind down to the match on Saturday. It was against Hufflepuff anyway, so it wasn't like anyone else cared. Or, so I thought. Athena was ditching me yet _again_ for Mr. Seventh Year, Erik Bodnar.

"I think he's developing something for me. I can feel it." she had exclaimed to me that morning, totally forgetting the Halloween disaster. I had to hide that overwhelming sense of anger. But hey. It's what I do.

"Gods, let someone else feel it," I had mumbled into the ceiling.

"What?" Athena looked up from her tiny cosmetic mirror, where she had been reapplying makeup to her already coated eyelids.

"Have fun, doll face."

So while thousands of idiots paraded down to the game, I wedged myself up in a small nook overlooking the grounds. It wasn't a bad seat. At least, I didn't freeze. The windows had thick glass without any obstructing iron work, like in the towers. I could watch the tiny dots of my classmates from my perch. Everyone looked like they had at least five sweaters on. I shook my head and bit into the last one of the cookies I had stolen from the kitchens a few nights ago. Just wasn't worth all the trouble, Quidditch.

By my personal standards, I was awake way too early for a weekend. But all that commotion in the dorm had been the cause for my untimely stirring. If it hadn't been for Andrew Thorn tripping over Quigley's open trunk and ripping down all his bed curtains in the process, I might have been able to resume my disrupted slumber. Now that I was up and dressed I had nowhere to be. After the parade of idiots going to the pitch, all the window showed me were bare trees and several inches of snow hiding the grass. Yawning and stretching, I lept down from my hideaway and headed to the corridor. Maybe I'd go and eat breakfast down in the kitchens. The house elves really seemed to enjoy my company. Plus, they would be happy to feed me since I hadn't eaten.

However, the loud sounds of male voices had drifted towards my ear, totally disrupting the image of toast and bacon in my head. I froze in my tracks and turned towards the large window facing the grounds. These were left wide open. Cold air blew my wool scarf right between my lips, making me gag on the loose threads. Yanking it out of my line of vision, I peered down at the scene far below me. Neither bloke was looking skywards, but both looked very angry. One I knew right away. Old Scorpius Malfoy. Of course. Who else would I see for no apparent reason? The other I slowly recognized. Robert Flint. He was a seventh year Slytherin, and also the Quidditch captain. Head Boy. He was perfectly hideous.

Flint was nearly a head shorter than Malfoy, and certainly not as broad. His face was twisted in fury, I could picture spittle flying from his lips as he shouted below me. I couldn't hear a word. That made it kind of a pointless thing to watch, but I couldn't look away. I had never seen old Scor angry. I didn't know it was possible. He looked half out of it most of the time. Poor sod.

Then, Flint stopped wildly gesturing and yelling. Malfoy was speaking. If I had been smart, I would have been carrying those new models of Uncle George's Extendable Ears from his snooping collection. But I hadn't gone to Hogsmeade yet this term. They were kind of stupid though, having a row right in front of the school. Any teacher could look out the window and see their wands out and think they were dueling. Then Flint lowered his head and stalked off towards the pitch. Malfoy, however, walked right back into the school.

I just sat in the archway and stared at the grounds below. I didn't really understand why I kept seeing the Little Prince everywhere. I guess what really was striking to me was that maybe I was actually _just_ noticing him. Could Malfoy know as much about me as I did about him? He knew my name which had been impressive already. Did he catch me in conversation with Athena, or maybe James? Did he know how much of a loser I was when compared to my family? I spent the past four years ignoring people. Perhaps I was better off doing just that.


	6. Peppermint

A/N: Thanks to everyone who put this on their alerts or reviewed. I wish I had more feedback from all the people who have put this on their favorites. There's been a lottt. Grr.

* * *

_Albus -_

_Your father and I were very disappointed when a letter arrived this morning from Headmistress Randolph. Not only are you still failing Divination, you are behind in Transfiguration as well. Now she mentioned that you've been improving with Divination, but recommends a tutor or even remedial work. You better pen either into your schedule or I will do it for you. We expect fair marks by the end of this semester._

_Love,_

_Your Mum._

I was indeed doing better in Divination. Lying is obviously the best policy. But Transfiguration was a sore spot. Turner had _really_ gotten boring as the term started to end. Every class was almost ninety percent lecture. I had no clue had Athena was passing. I was going to have to squeeze that secret out of her next class.

I don't actually think I'm stupid. I'm just not that committed to anything. Books. People. Conversations. Myself. Anything. For example, even though Everson's lecture on Summoning Charms was insanely interesting, I started to nod off fifteen minutes into it. Rose had to keep pinching my side every time I let my head lean too far to the right. I wasn't the only one though. Whoever sat behind me, (to be honest I think it was the Girl With Too Many Freckles from the Quidditch game), kept accidentally poking me in the back with their knees when they slouched forward too far.

"Now that you've seen the wand movement, and the proper words for the incantation, I am going to start you out small by summoning these owl feathers. Much like in first year, when you mastered levitation." Professor Everson said in his quiet, firm voice. He had Peter Brown pass out all the feathers.

"Wake up Al. This is a _huge_ part of the O.W.L examinations!" Rose squeaked.

"I know that." I placed my feather in front of me and waited. After everyone else started, I studied their movements. It was almost the same kind of thing when doing levitation.

The feather was snow white. I had always wanted a snowy owl, much like my father when he went to school. They stood out and had these beautiful, intense blue eyes. But I had never seen one at Eeylops'. I was the only one who didn't have a pet. James has a huge barn owl named Tuck and Lily had a small tabby cat she had mysteriously named Herbert. I wanted to really bond to an animal if I had one. I just hope I could be committed enough to remember to feed it.

"_Accio!" _I flicked my wrist. The wand send the feather speeding straight across the room. It rebounded off the wall.

I tried once more and my feather crashed into Rose's dark brown one. On my third try, I finally did it. The soft, white feather landed right on my palm after I summoned it from under Everson's desk.

"You did it! Oh Al, how do I stop it from going in the opposite direction?" exclaimed the Girl With Too Many Freckles. She had been sitting behind me.

I demonstrated the wrist movement for her and watched as she tried once more. "There you go, you've got it now."

"Thanks!" she grinned and repeated the incantation. She wasn't a hideous girl. Plain, but it was a nice change from hanging around Athena all the time.

I tapped her on the arm, feeling a bit dumb. I should have asked her awhile ago. I just hoped that she wouldn't be too offended. "What's your name?"

"Allison," she smiled. It was a pretty nice smile. I can't smile at all. I don't believe that I was born with the required muscles.

I was going to ask her more questions. Actually talk to her. But her attention was diverted to the girl beside her and I was left sitting there with a feather in my hand and my mouth slightly agape.

"Shut your trap Al. Your going to catch a fly," Rose prodded me hard in the ribs with her finger.

I rolled my eyes at her and spent the rest of the class picking my owl feather to pieces.

Later that week, a notice about the last Hogsmeade trip before the holidays was posted in the Common Room. Athena and I were already settled with going together. I had to kind of force her into it. She had wanted to go with Erik until I reminded her she owed me for borrowing the map on Halloween. That brought up memories of that git's true nature, so she was perfectly pleased then with the idea of going shopping with me. I had presents to purchase. Just for my parents, Lily, Athena, and the Almighty James, of course. I never got anything for my cousins because I'd run out of money. They're all too picky and there were way too many of them. I usually got a present from Teddy Lupin too, so I should probably look for one for him as well. Even though we aren't really related he was my favorite cousin.

I met up with Athena in the Entrance Hall. She was bundled up in expensive looking gloves and a black coat. I wore what I always wore. Fingerless gloves. Huge scarf. She sighed at the sight of me, which gave me a sick pleasured feeling. I winked at her and held onto her arm as we descended towards the village. It had finally stopped snowing. Mounds of whiteness had been plowed into towers on either side of the pathway. It was a little eerie. The entire way down was in shadow and there wasn't much sunlight.

"I wonder what you'll buy me for Christmas, Albus. Better not be another _book_."

I sighed. "That was a very pricey book you know,"

She gave me an eye roll. "Don't care. You should put that money to good use…as in, buy me a new dragon leather pack for school."

"Because that's a real necessity."

As usual, Athena didn't pick up my sarcasm. "It is, Albus."

I snorted and was surprised to feel that my nose was insanely cold. As soon as we walked into town, I forced Athena into the Three Broomsticks. I needed a drink. That or I was lighting myself on fire right in the village square. The pub was packed like always. I found a table in the rear and ordered butterbeer for me. Athena insisted on ice water.

"You know, the bar keep must think you're a loon." I told her from across the table.

"Why would you say that?"

"Ice water? It's below freezing outside."

"That drink is disgusting," Athena made a face at my lovely little butterbeer bottle.

I took a huge swig of my drink for emphasis. "Delicious."

She nearly gagged. Then I had to listen to her prattle on about Erik. The drink was enough to sustain me from killing myself. I stared directly beyond Athena's big blonde head and watched the passersby through the foggy window. Almost everyone I saw was a couple. Holding hands. Smiling. Ick. Then, of course, Malfoy and his lady love walked right past the Three Broomsticks. Violet was carrying one shopping parcel. Old Scor was laden with a bunch of packages, looking slightly irritated. I snickered, wondering if she was making him carry all of her purchases.

"What's so funny?" Athena was frowning at me, her lower lip all puffed out.

"Uh…"

"Albus, Nicole told me he slept with her! A third year…it's so gross…"

I blinked a few times. Oh yeah. Erik. "Uh…well he's a prick then. Why waste your time?"

"He's just usually so nice when we're alone…I guess we better start shopping," Athena said suddenly and stood up.

I nodded and left a tip on the table. She pulled me from the pub and back out into the middle of the frigid square. I could feel my skin tighten at the shock. We were arm in arm again, gliding through bookstores and small shops. I picked up a new quill for Lily, a set of expensive Quidditch gloves for ickle Jamie, Honeyduke's chocolate for both my parents, and a very interesting (and kind of naughty) poster for Ted. All that was left was Athena's gift. I already knew what to buy her. A set of Goblin made (or stolen, I suppose), earrings. We parted in the street and I slid into Gladrag's.

The earrings were quite a few Galleons, but I could spare them. I spent so little on Lily and Teddy that I had extra money. I paid for the sparkling jewelry and even had a bow attached to the little velvet box. She had to like them. If not I would shove them straight up her arse.

"Thank you," I said politely to the shopkeeper, who actually bowed. I turned to leave and almost walked right into a man in a black sweater.

"Hello Albus,"

I blinked and stared up at him. Rob Flint. He was so ugly. I almost laughed. Is that rude? I mean, I'm no prize, but give me a break. I was so busy focusing on his unibrow when I slowly realized he knew my name. Slytherins were strange people.

"Uh, hello."

He stalked past me and started to check out the robes for sale. I sped out of the store so quickly I almost knocked Athena into a snowdrift.

"Are you done? I'm freezing…Ooh Gladrags! What did you buy me?" Athena's eyes went shiny.

"No! Not until Christmas,"

She frowned and took my arm. "I hope it cost you a bundle. The present I bought you definitely did,"

I laughed. I don't know why. Maybe her materialism amused me. "It did, love. It did."

* * *

After I dropped Athena off near Ravenclaw tower, I figured the night would be perfect for reading. Everyone always fell asleep early after Hogsmeade trips or Quidditch practices. Once midnight came and went, my entire dorm was laden with the musical tune of snoring. I pulled out my book on wood carving and opened it to what I thought was a bookmarker. Instead, the Marauder's Map hit me square in the face.

"Ouch!" I hissed, rubbing my cheek. I felt the sting of a paper cut. Fucking map.

"What!" yelped Quigley in his sleep. He resumed his snoring a second later.

I snorted and opened the map. Nothing like spying on your school to chase away nighttime boredom. _"I solemnly swear I am up to no good!"_

The familiar tendrils of ink sprawled out over the blank parchment like thin tentacles. The dark threads became the exact shape of Hogwarts, and all of her chambers. Thousands of dots found their homes within the four houses' designated areas. Dungeon. Basement. The two towers. The professors were either patrolling or in their offices. A couple of Hufflepuffs were sneaking around in the library. Boring. But once again, the dot belonging to Scorpius Malfoy sprung off the map. It had left the Slytherin Common Room and was now headed for the kitchens. It stopped only when reaching the same corridor I had met him in on Halloween night.

Acting on impulse rather than my good sense, I shoved the map into my pocket and sprung out of bed. It took me only a few minutes to find my bathrobe and invisibility cloak. Then I was out the portrait hole, yet again, on the hunt towards the Little Prince. What drove me towards him was confusing. I wasn't going to hide or watch him in the shadows. I was going to walk up to him out in the open.

Once I reached the long, dark, basement corridor, I stripped off the cloak and hid it in my robe pocket. Malfoy was alone. He was sitting in the same wall niche he had been in on Halloween. When I approached him at an audible distance, I coughed loudly.

Malfoy jumped right out of his seat and raised his lit wand up to my face. "Albus Potter?"

"No, Albus Dumbledore." I blinked hard. "Get your wand away from me,"

"Sorry. _Nox_,"

The light dimmed out and we were left in the small glowing pool from a candle sconce.

"Why are you down here…again?" I asked boldly. I didn't fear old Scor. I didn't know how I saw him at all.

He shrugged. "Bored. Wanted to go for a walk,"

I nodded and stared at the floor. He was wearing dark black trainers, and as I slowly looked up from the ground, almost nothing else. Malfoy had on a pair of jet black pajama bottoms and a matching robe. His pale chest was bare and I could see it almost shine in the candle light. He still had on his confused expression. And yet even though I knew I hated him, I felt boring next to him. My own pajamas were gray and just kind of hung off me like leaves on a tree. I was even wearing slippers. For shame. If I could blush, my cheeks would have been bright pink.

So Malfoy was good looking. So what. Didn't mean dragon dung, considering the lad had zero personality. About as interesting as a flobberworm.

"Wait-," Malfoy's deep voice shattered my inner soliloquy. "We met down here before, haven't we? Why are _you _down here? Pretty far for a Gryffindor,"

His tone should have been offensive. But Scor had about as much guff as Quigley Longbottom. "I'm not the only person out, Malfoy. There's a whole squad of Hufflepuffs getting down in the library,"

"How do you know?"

"I'm a certified genius."

He narrowed his eyes at me for a second, then shocked me by letting out a laugh. It wasn't as deep as his voice. Yet, it wasn't too unpleasant of a sound. I watched him walk over to the portrait of the fruit, the one that guarded the kitchens, and lean up beside it.

"You're something. Not anything like your brother though, no. A whole different creature."

I gaped at him stupidly. "_Creature_?"

Malfoy just snorted, much like I always did. "James Potter is an arrogant fuck. No offense. But he's got mad skills on the pitch, I'll give him that,"

I slowly crept towards where Malfoy was standing, but kept a distance. "He's arrogant about most things."

"I'm sure. You're not. You seem almost skittish. Like a mouse," his brightly lit eyes danced across my face as he teased me. He wanted my reactions.

I tried to look as unmoved as possible. "Not skittish, careful. I'm not arrogant but I'm rude. We have that in common."

"You don't seem very rude. I think your just shy."

"_Shy?" _I almost puked. This arse had a lot of nerve. I couldn't remember why the fuck I came down here, but I was slowly regretting it. "I am not shy. I just hate everyone."

He was fucking laughing at me! Right at me! Oh, the Little Prince was more clever than I had thought. He was actually trying to be witty.

"Obviously not. You hang out with that _gorgeous_ Ravenclaw bird."

"Athena," I rolled my eyes. "She's an idiot." Wow, I'm such a good friend.

Malfoy shrugged. "Pretty face outranks common sense. Usually,"

"I'd rather have a brain _not_ attached to end of a makeup brush, to be honest." I spat and thought about leaving. He was _so_ bloody irritating.

He strolled up to where I stood and overshadowed me. I scuttled away, against the cold wall of the basement corridor. To have him suddenly so close was perplexing. I fidgeted nervously with my long hair and tried to come up with some damn excuse to get the hell out of there.

"You're pretty funny, Albus."

"Does wit out rank pretty face or common sense?" I almost whispered, still trying my best to sound like the vindictive prick I wanted to be.

Malfoy chuckled, soft and almost sweetly. He was so close I could smell him. Like peppermint candy canes and whatever the fuck he used as shampoo. His eyes were much lighter than I had previously thought. Almost a gray heather color. I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of this situation. But the thing was, there wasn't any sense to be had. I was in some warped other universe where Hufflepuffs got laid and James Potter was a bookworm. I had to be. Some kind of Never Land. I felt a strong pair of arms come up beside my shoulders against the rough wall. Malfoy was even closer, his head inclined down to my height.

I was breathing so loudly, the dirty Hufflepuff kids probably heard it. The Little Prince was completely calm. So at ease. I wanted to shove the stupid prat. Kick him. Even blast out a nice, girlish scream right in his face. But I kept totally silent and allowed his lips to cover my own.

For a first kiss it wasn't so bad. Technically.

Emotionally I wanted to die in a puddle. My insides were screaming out about how wrong this had to be. It was illogical. Malfoy pressed his body tight against mine, forcing my leg to slide up his side and almost curl around his waist. His hands held my chest to the wall, pinning me to the cold stones. I had never kissed before. Ever. So snogging someone who was so gorgeous that I wanted to barf, not to mention so annoying I wanted to curse into oblivion, was mind numbing. Malfoy's lips were so soft. I could feel the leg that had been forced around him begin to shake.

Something happened. A noise. Someone had slammed a door shut. Malfoy sprung off of me like I had the plague. I slid down the wall like a freak. He stared down at me, looking half confused, half aroused, and half horrified. I felt too stupid to remember that was too many halves. The idiot took off running down the corridor. But no one ever came down to where I was, still slumped down on the frigid floor.

My lips tasted like peppermint. I could still feel his hands on my chest. Why would he do such a terrible thing to me? Sure, I like blokes…but no one knew that. Only Athena. And it wasn't like I was even certain. I hadn't even been on a date before. Did I smell like a queer? Look like one? Maybe. I hadn't cut my hair in a few years.

I drifted slowly to my feet and walked all the way back to the tower without putting my cloak back on.


	7. Sleeper Pt 1

A/N: Thanks to everyone who put this on their alerts or reviewed. Sorry the update took so long. I must warn you, there's a non-consensual/semi-consensual scene in this chapter.

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Once December came around, I was free.

It was easy to forget him then. I could push that evening completely out of my mind. After the Huge Incident That Warped My Brain, I had laid in bed almost the entire day. I had missed classes. No one knew what happened. Old Turner gave me such a speech after I convinced him I had merely overslept several hours. I had also received my first ever detention. Cleaning floors with the caretaker, Mrs. Murden. She's a half deaf old bitty but she gave me biscuits afterwards so I didn't really mind.

Even though I should have been thrilled to have a chance to be away from classes, and of course, be away from Little Prince Ponce, I wasn't. I was more apathetic. Which I used to enjoy, so that left me really lost. I stood in the middle of the Entrance Hall with my rucksack and a stupid look on my face. People pressed right by me and I just moved along with them, like a dead fish in the middle of the ocean. Something cold grasped onto my hand, making me flinch. I blinked hard only to see Athena standing in front of me, her bright eyes wide with actual concern.

"Erm…you ok, Albus?" She was close to me, her arm wrapped around my side in an awkward embrace.

Suddenly I felt like crying like a child. Or punching someone in the face. I was really confused, but so numb at the same time. I just shook my head and inched away from her.

"I'm ok. Just feeling under the weather…"

Athena didn't press it further. That is probably the one reason we're still friends. She lets me ignore things that I probably should never ignore.

"I can't wait until you see my present. It's stunning," Athena whispered against my cheek as we walked down with a throng of other happy students.

I managed a weird grin that satiated her. "You'll love your gift, too."

Winter winds whipped our cloaks around in the air. Small snowflakes burned right into my skin with each step. Everything around the school was drenched in a soft, gray color that made the world feel unreal. If it hadn't been for Athena steering me the correct way, I might have just kept walking past the train. Her chatter sounded weird over the harsh winds. I'd never been more grateful when we finally boarded and took our seats in an empty compartment.

"So cold…I can't wait to get home. Mum says our trip to Spain is already all planned. Otherwise I would have invited someone…like you or Samantha," Athena smiled in an almost gentle way. It was weird. I had to fix it.

"So uh…what happened with Erik last weekend?"

Her face twisted back into its usual pinched formation. "Oh my…well you see, he didn't want me to know that he had been with that Vivienne girl,"

This Athena I could deal with. I settled back into my seat and let her bore me into a stupor. I watched out the window as snowflakes slowly transformed into fat icy raindrops. It looked particularly disgusting outside, which I loved of course. Sunshine was for babies. If you can't handle winter you should probably just give up on living. Lily came to fetch me once we arrived at the station. She was all smiles, and so was James, once he finally graced us with his presence. I asked every year if I could just stay behind for Christmas and always received an outright no. I sighed and dragged my feet towards where my parents were waiting.

"Al! How was term, everything alright?" My father clapped my shoulder too hard as my mother came out of nowhere with a bone crunching embrace.

"Fine. All fine." I assured them as they repeated the process with Lily.

Down the way from us stood Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione. We spent more time with them than any of our other relatives. Hugo was standing there looking like a mirror image of his dad, with the exact same puzzled look. Rose and my aunt were discussing something that required really big hand gestures. I did my typical laugh snort and followed James out of the train station.

As always, a car with Ministry of Magic flags was humming outside Kings Cross. My dad happened to be an Auror, but I don't think that was the reason they always let him use the nicest cars to pick us up. I think it was purely because of who he was. Or had been, I suppose. I didn't really see him as like…the savior? The hero? I guess it's because I just wasn't alive to experience all the things my parents went through. Sure, its all we learn about it History Of Magic, but who the fuck can stay awake long enough to get through one of Binns' lectures?

I slid in beside ol' Jamie and he punched me for no reason at all. Dad sat next to me, with Lily between him and mum. The driver started off towards the familiar route of home. It was oh too familiar, of course. James and me hit each other the entire ride. Or, at least we tried to. Mum spotted us and swatted our legs with a copy of _The Daily Prophet. _Then we had to start pinching each other when she wasn't looking.

"And then Yirkley started complaining about the editor, you remember her, the one with the huge hair. Anyway, he insisted my article was good enough for the third page. I'm so excited, it's really something for a sport piece to be such important news-,"

My mum was rambling on about her new job as a sports writer for the _Prophet. _The whole family was going mad about it. I had never seen most of family read, and now suddenly all of them were full of up to date news. I hated newspapers.

"That's great Mum, ouch!" I yelped as James pinched the skin right above my hip.

"What was that dear?" she called back to me as she climbed out of the car.

"Ugh…congratulations," I groaned, rubbing my new bruise.

Christmas was a Really Big Deal in the family. Everyone congregated at my grandparent's house out in the middle of nowhere. It was a kitschy house with chickens and a big rustic garden. It was also completely tilted and looked like it was made out of pieces from different buildings. But that was part of the charm I suppose. It really couldn't fit all of the people who stayed on Christmas Eve, but we made due. My Uncle Ron's old attic room housed him and my aunt, plus my parents. Below them, Uncle Bill and his wife the fabulous French Fleur bunked it with my Uncle Charlie and usually whatever he dug up as a date. That meant Charlie's old room was free for me to sleep in, along with James (unfortunately), sometimes Teddy (thank Merlin), and my cousin Fred. Bill's kids slept in my Uncle George's old room, which I also thanked the mighty Merlin for because it smelled really peculiar. That left Percy and his wife to sleep in his childhood room with Uncle George and Aunt Angelina, plus their new baby Roxanne would have to bunk with them too. That meant that Rose, Lily, Lucy, and Molly had to share my mother's old bedroom and Hugo slept on the sofa in the sitting room. It was confusing, but we did it the same way every year.

So when I walked in to find the strangest family of four sitting on my grandmother's sofa, I had to let my jaw drop, at least a little. Three of them were blonds. The, father I suppose, had dark hair and eyes that were two different colors, one brown, one sky blue. He also had an eye patch, but it was tilted away from his rough face. I recognized them then as the Scamander family. I had just seen Lorcan give the commentary for the Quidditch match I had went to that fall. His twin, whom I was quickly introduced to, was named Lysander. I remembered their mother of course. Luna had always been a really close friend to my father. She talked a lot of nonsense, but there was always a strange wisdom hidden deep…deep…deep inside her quirkiness.

I learned though that the Scamander's would be staying over the hill, with Luna's father, Xeno Lovegood. The twins were kind of spacey but I took to Lorcan right away.

"What's that?" I pointed at the weird keychain hanging off the belt loop of his baggy black pants.

Lorcan petted it. It meowed. I stared at it in curiosity until he unlatched it and handed it to me.

"It's just a charm. I bought it in Hogsmeade." he explained. It was twisted looking with a huge frown and big whiskers.

"I like it."

"Keep it."

"Really?" I looked at him in surprise.

Lorcan nodded. "Happy Christmas, Albus."

I watched him walk away and stare out the sitting room window for fifteen minutes. My mum had just set out tea with my grandmother when everyone else began to appear. First Uncle Ron and that lot, then my dear Uncle George, followed by Bill's family accompanied by Charlie, and finally my Aunt Audrey came in using the floo, and Uncle Percy followed her a second later. Teddy was late as usual. I'm sure my cousin Victoire wasn't pleased. They always snuck off and did who knows what when everyone else was busy. She was a looker, I suppose. Not my type. She reminded me too much of Athena.

Then the Christmas festivities unfortunately began. Everyone spread out between the kitchen, garden, and sitting area. My uncles and grandfather were clustered in armchairs, talking about work of all things. My aunts hovered over teacups in the kitchen while huge pots of food simmered away on the gigantic stove. My cousins Fred, Molly, and Lucy all wanted to play Quidditch out in the field behind the house, so James and Hugo took them. Of course, my lovely brother reminded me that I could come if I finally wanted to touch up my "lack of skill". I told him where to stick his broom and polished off a whole plate of chocolate biscuits instead.

"Al, why don't you do something fun. You can play the winner of our chess game," Rose offered. Her and Lorcan were halfway through a game. Lysander just sat there watching.

"No thanks…I'm waiting for Teddy to get here,"

"Eh…so is Vic," my cousin Louis pushed past me in the hall. We never saw much of Bill's kids since they moved to France. Victoire had went to Hogwarts but Louis and Dominique were both attending Beauxbatons.

"Quiet, Louis." Victoire chided as she walked downstairs. "I can hear you!"

He jumped like a scalded cat and scampered into the sitting room.

Teddy finally showed up right before the family sat down for dinner. Now, the Burrow's small kitchen wasn't nearly large enough to house us all. Another two tables had been set up, one in the parlor and another small one beside the dining table. That was where my Aunt Angelina and my Uncle George sat with Roxanne so she wouldn't fuss too much. I sat at the kitchen table between my brother and my cousin, Molly. She was the same age as James and in seventh year with him. Only, she wasn't so annoying that I wanted to extract her teeth with the bread knife. I wouldn't say she was my favorite or anything, but she was the best looking at the table. That was close to a miracle considering her father was my Uncle Percy.

"Pass down the bread, would you please Albus?" Molly smiled sweetly at me.

I didn't smile back but I did yank the basket right out of James's hands.

"Hey! You little-,"

"Here you are."

"Thank you. How is fifth year going for you? Do you and Rosie have any classes with Luce?"

Lucy, Molly's very unattractive younger sister, was also fifth year. However, she was the only relative I had in Ravenclaw. In fact, she was the only one who wasn't in Gryffindor. Teddy had been a Slytherin, but we won't hold that against him. I looked down the table and spied him sitting beside my cousin Victoire. A weird pang of envy burst on my heart but I choked that down by stuffing potatoes into my mouth. That was when I realized that Molly had asked me a question, had seen me choke on my dinner, and was now staring at me like I had just eaten a bowl of infant intestines.

"Er…I have Charms with her. That's it."

Molly nodded and never said another word to me all through dinner.

Feeling rather stuffed and irritated I allowed myself to sit with Hugo in the parlor. He had been quiet during dinner, but that wasn't because he was going through his usual eating frenzy. In fact I hadn't really seen him eat much at all.

"What's the matter, Hugo?" I asked him after a few silent moments.

He shrugged. "Nothing."

"Come on. Is it that Hufflepuff girl?"

His bright blue eyes widened in their sockets. "How'd you know?"

"Hugo…everyone knows."

He sighed. "I've never spoken to her. I'm not even sure she knows who I am."

"What's her name?"

"Juliet."

I almost snorted at him, but managed to maintain. Juliet and Hugo. I guess that was close enough to Romeo. Too bad my cousin didn't quite have that character's skills.

"Well…just talk to her. I bet she knows you…erm…because your on the Quidditch team. Yeah. She probably knows you."

Hugo smiled a bit and he seemed to lighten up considerably. "Yeah, sure."

That's when Rose skipped past us, "Did he tell you about his love for Juliet yet, Al?"

We both laughed as Hugo turned a bright shade of scarlet and excused himself from the sitting room.

That was when the whole holiday festivity garbage left my system. I became my old melancholy self and sat beside the door to the garden. Teddy had disappeared with Victoire, along with a few bottles of wine. He hadn't even said hello to me. So much for the present I had bought for him. The thought of it sitting in my rucksack made the child inside of me want to blush. I bet he didn't get me anything. And because I was by myself, I was left with thoughts of Scorpius Malfoy. Not what happened. But what he was doing at that moment. Was he alone, isolated from his family members? I bet not. I bet the rich little sod was rolling in presents and attention. I kicked the back door in anger and stubbed my toe.

"Well, Happy Fucking Christmas, self." I did a one legged dance around the kitchen.

I almost fell onto the kitchen table when I heard a loud clanging noise come in from the garden. It was Teddy. He smelled of wine, and something else. Victoire was nowhere to be seen. Actually, Ted looked angry.

"Er. Hello." I greeted and slowly lowered my foot from my hand.

"Albus…shh. I'm a bit pissed. Is yur grandmum around?"

I shook my head. "You better get upstairs then…she's just in the parlor."

"Come with me, Albus. I didn't plan on spending the night…and I want to give you my Christmas present,"

"You…you got me a present?"

"Don't I always, favorite non-relative cousin?" he grinned at me, his half lidded eyes giving him a dopey kind of look.

"I got you something too."

"Well, let's go!" he grabbed my arm and dragged me up the stairs. "Which room are you staying in?"

"Uncle Charlie's room…up here." I led him to the fourth floor and had him pull me into the darkness.

Teddy burst into the room and looked around it, doing 360 degree turns. "Nice room. Bit hot, don't you think?" he shed off his black cloak and dumped it onto my camp bed.

I snorted. "I think your more than a little pissed…"

"I…I might be. Oops," he winked at me.

I laughed and sat down with him. "Where's ol' Vic?"

Teddy went back to Angry Ted. "Ugh…your cousin is just…I can't take it. This is the third time I've asked for her hand, you know?"

I didn't. I almost felt like screaming. "Oh."

"Yeah…she says I'm not responsible enough to be married. Me! I'm Mr. Responsible."

I just sat there, holding my leg to my chest. "Do you want your present?"

Teddy, who was now also quiet, nodded.

I yanked my backpack into my lap and took out his rolled up poster of the girls from his favorite wizard band. They weren't naked but they were close to it. Teddy took the bow off of the paper and unrolled it, instantly breaking out into a smile. "Beautiful. Women who can't judge me. Thanks, Al."

"No problem."

Teddy took out a small box from his cloak pocket and handed it to me. I ripped off the blue paper and inside was a very expensive scarf. It was softer than anything I had ever touched, plus it had to be longer than me. "Wow…thanks. How'd you know that I love scarves?"

"You told me. Two years ago." Teddy had laid down on the bed, his knees up. I sort of inched my way beside him.

"Oh. I must've forgotten." I felt weird all of a sudden. Teddy was twenty two, pissed off his arse, and laying with me in the dark.

He looked up at me, his dark eyes shining. "You found a girl yet, Albus?"

I shook my head quickly.

"Why not?"

"I don't really care for them," I blurted out before I could stop myself.

That didn't seem to phase Ted at all. He patted my thigh and mumbled, "Smart man."

I laugh snorted and so did Teddy. Perhaps that was why I even had such a stupid laugh. He sat up, his right thigh trapping me to the wall.

"Maybe you should go sleep it off, Ted…"

"Sleep off what?" his breath was too warm. He smelled like smoke and bitter alcohol.

"The wine…"

For the second time within weeks, I received a kiss that was overwhelming, disgusting, wonderful, and confusing. Teddy's mouth closed over mine, and although he was a male, it wasn't like how it had been with Scorpius. I was scared, of course. But only because of how much older Teddy was, how pissed he was, and that I thought of him as a cousin. But the kiss with Malfoy had been icy with its passion, almost an otherworldly event. This was too real for me. I felt Ted's hands slide down my hips, as he tried unzipping the front of my trousers. I didn't stop him. I just sat numbly in his lap, my lips against his still. Teddy licked my mouth, sliding his tongue in past my teeth. It wasn't that I wanted it. I just had no defense on how to make it end. He had to end it, just like Malfoy.

Teddy did eventually end our non-incestuous yet incestuous snog. After he gave up on unzipping my trousers, of course. I suppose a broken zipper was a blessing in disguise. He rubbed my crotch a little and I wasn't shocked that he had no trouble making me hard. I even rubbed back up against his hand, even though in my head I knew it wasn't meant to be. Teddy pulled his mouth off mine and started rubbing furiously at his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Albus…I…please, forgive me…"

"Of course I forgive you Teddy." I said plainly and stood up. I pulled the blankets around him, tucking them under his sides.

"Thank you…"

"Sleep now, ok? Sweet dreams…" My voice was hoarse. I left the room, forgetting about my scarf, still sitting in its gift wrap on the bed.


	8. Sleeper Pt 2

A/N: Thanks to anyone who put this on their alerts or reviewed. I regret to inform anyone reading this that I've been getting those error messages when I try to edit my stories. I hope that won't last forever, but I have found a way around it. I just hope I can keep doing that. If it ends up not working next time or whatever, all chapters are located on my livejournal.

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I went to bed shortly after I had tucked Teddy into my camp bed. I couldn't sleep there of course, so I traded with Hugo and kipped on the couch. I remember drifting off around two or so in the morning. I fell into a demented dream world that involved my engagement to Ted and something about Victoire's love child. It would have made more sense if everyone hadn't been wearing frilly dresses. But once I ran into the little elf that had Scorpius Malfoy's face, I had enough of dreaming. I sat straight up like a rod, thanking Merlin's beard I wasn't screaming my head off.

"Al?" came a soft, male voice from behind the Christmas tree.

I glanced at the clock only to find that I was awake at the depressing hour of six in the morning.

"Ugh?" I grumbled at the tree.

It wiggled. My little cousin Fred walked out from behind it. He was the second youngest, besides his sister Roxanne. He was only a first year, but a rather mischievous one. Fred had several detentions under his belt already, and according to Uncle George, he had a knack for dragging people down the road of bad behavior. They all seemed rather pleased, including little Fred. However, even though he had this reputation, all of his professors doted on his advanced skills. Not to mention he was already an apt flyer and could probably go out for Beater next season for the house team. Like I've always thought, there has to be one out cast in every family. That person has always been me.

But when I turned to say something to Fred, I realized that the two of us had never actually held a conversation our entire lives.

"Happy Christmas," Fred said cheerily and plopped his rear right on top of my pillow.

"Same to you. Go to bed." I flopped over onto my stomach and hugged the quilt close to my chest.

Fred just laughed at me. "No way. I came down to have a peek at my gifts but then I saw you were down here."

I peered my head around. "What do you do when Hugo sleeps down here then?"

"Work around him. He just stays asleep. Snores though. You make different sounds when you sleep,"

I tried not to seem instantly panicked about this, but it was hard not to. I mean, I always had the strangest dreams. "Uh…what do you mean?"

Fred shrugged his tiny shoulders. "Nothing. You just groan a lot. And use swears."

I burst out into laughter so loud that I had Fred watching me warily. Considering I had seen the Little Prince in my dream, I had every reason to mouth off.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. You're going to get caught. And your Mum looks like the type that swats more than she scolds."

Little Fred was totally ignoring me. He had left the couch and was now sitting amongst the sea of Christmas presents. "This is your pile, Al."

Sighing, I left the comfort of my blankets and padded over to the modest group of presents. Indeed, they all had my name on them one way or another. The one from Athena was impressive. A massive box all wrapped up in bright silver paper, with an enchantment placed upon it that made it seem like it was snowing all over the parcel. I was tempted to see what art supplies my parents had blindly chosen for me, but Fred began to tug on my pajama sleeve. I looked up at the window to see a gigantic white owl with blue eyes the color of an ocean's murky depths. It had a dark green envelope clutched in its beak. I ran as quietly as possible to the window and threw it open.

The magnificent owl stretched its enormous wings and flew to me, allowing me to take the thick envelope.

"Do you need water, or-," I wanted to tempt the animal into staying but it blatantly ignored me and flew off immediately after allowing me to extract the letter.

That should be _my_ fucking owl. I watched the beast fly off into the dusky morning sky, envious of the owner and wishing for their death so that I could somehow capture the owl for my own. I was so lost in my owl lust I hadn't noticed Fred tugging on my sleeve again.

"Who's it for?"

Right. The mysterious Christmas envelope. It was a very fancy looking thing, the lettering was silver and almost embossed into the paper, not written. On the front the letters spelt out my full name above the Burrow's address. That was strange in itself. No one really knew I was here, for certain. Athena did, sure, but her gift was already under the tree with its own card. However once I flipped the card over I felt my stomach do a back flip. A neat looking coat of arms was over the seal of the envelope. A lot of prissy Latin words were written within the design. Had to be some kind of stamp, but the silver matched the address on the front. I opened it up quickly, not caring that I was destroying the envelope. This card had a weird feeling to it. It was similar to holding a dead spider that you weren't exactly certain was really dead yet.

"Who is it from?" Fred asked me, his blue eyes lit with a curiosity that I felt reflected in my own eyes.

I just shook my head and examined the actual greeting card. It was made of extra thick parchment, definitely expensive. The main attraction was probably the huge fir tree outfitted with candles and colored baubles. But behind the grand tree, hidden in an icy valley, was a snow encrusted manor house. It was ridiculously old looking, almost gothic, like something out of a horror novel. The artistic value of the card shocked me a little bit. It had to have been hand drawn. I was tracing the house with my finger tip when Fred smacked me in the hip.

"Will you just open it already?"

I smiled at his impatience and I flipped it open. All my happiness, however, was short lived. Flew right out the window just as the pretty owl had done. If I had less manners, I would have screamed. But Fred was so young. Impressionable. Plus he would probably tattle on me. The card read in that same silver writing,

_Wishing you a happy holiday season,_

_- The Malfoy Family._

Below the ominous greeting was a tightly written, very neat paragraph addressed to me in jet black ink. Every word of it was as sharp as a knife. My heart was pounding so loud it blocked out any other sound around me. It brought back emotions that were never meant to be on the surface of my tender psyche.

_Al-,_

_I hope you are having an enjoyable holiday. I wanted to apologize for our last encounter. I can assure you it will never happen again. I was desperately out of sorts. I never spoke of it to anyone and I strongly advise you to do the same._

_Best Wishes,_

_- Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy._

The name was printed like a stamp. Who the fuck stamps their name, that's what I wanted to know. He should have just written, _"Dear Al, fuck you. Happy Christmas you bleeding scum."_ This was just too formal. I felt like some kind of whore caught up in one of those trysts in romantic novels. Now the big hot shot was telling me to cover my tracks, just in case the upper crust of society found out he had his hand down my blouse at the last garden party. I wanted to retch. Too bad it wasn't a Howler. Then I could have watched it burst into flames. But because the card was so pretty, I had to keep it. Besides, it wasn't like I couldn't already recite Malfoy's words like a poem. He hated me. Hated the snog. And it was entirely his own doing.

"So who sent it, Al?" Fred asked. He sounded bored with me. Just like Malfoy was apparently.

"Someone at school. Not important." What the fuck had I expected from the maggot? A proposal? I hated Malfoy before. I could go on hating him now that I had all these new reasons.

"Oh," Fred said while picking through one of his presents.

I threw myself into my pile of gifts and literally prayed for death. Now not only did I have my first kiss with an utter dung head, I had snogged someone who was basically my cousin. Could I get any lower, really? I waited in my shame until the family started coming into the parlor like the plague. Then I had to smile for them. Pose for a few photographs in my hideous pajamas. Let my grandfather ruffle my long hair a few thousand times as he repeatedly asked what I received for Christmas. It was a cake walk, sure. But a painful one. Like a runway lined with gigantic spikes.

My parents had bought me really nice drawing tablets and a set of new pencils, plus more charcoal. The good kind, not the kind that likes to crumble after one session. My grandmother had knitted us all sweaters and mittens and whatnot. Mine was dark blue and was forced onto my body by my own mother. James's gift was the most interesting. He may look like a moron, but the art book he had purchased for me looked promising. Lily bought me sweets that I'd probably trade with Hugo after breakfast. I saved Athena's box for last. Inside was a magnificent dragon hide bag made for carrying drawing tablets and materials. I hugged it close to my chest. I missed her air headed comments on men and fashion. If I had the courage I would confess to her all my mistakes. But I was too scared. Too scared no one would ever believe me.

Because honestly, I didn't even believe myself.


	9. Rabbit

A/N: Thanks for reviewing/alerting. Does anyone know of any decent Al/Teddy fics? Hmm?

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The rest of the holiday came and went rather quickly. New Years was a total bust, at least it had been for me. James had been invited to some party outside London thrown by one of his stupid mates. That left me and Lily stuck with our parents and the Longbottoms. They're a nice bunch and all that, but I could never admit to anyone at school that I had rung in the new year by playing wizards chess with Quigley and wishing I was dead.

Mum saw us off to school without my father. He had some real huge emergency in his office that morning. It was a dreary gray day, once again fitting to my mood. I still had the card from Malfoy. I had buried it deep inside my new art bag, beneath all of my supplies. I just couldn't bin the thing. Of course, I hadn't looked inside the card since Christmas morning. Even though I knew what it said it would be painful to read those words again. The worst part was that I had no clue why the stupid prat had hurt me so easily. I hated him. Just because he gave me a kiss didn't have to change anything.

"Now, be careful James. You don't want to mess up your chances with Puddlemere by getting shotty grades or acting foolish the last semester," Mum warned my brother. She kept unbuttoning and re-buttoning his jacket.

"Mum. I know. I will be fine." James said with impatience in his voice, but he allowed her to wrap him in a bone crushing embrace. She was all emotional just because it was his last school year.

"Lily, you be good dear, as you always are." Mum pecked my sister's cheek and then caught my eye while I was trying to look for an escape route. Futile as always.

"Albus…behave. No detentions. And, I expect a fair amount of O.W.L.s out of you." My mum locked her arms around me tightly. She smelled kind of floral, like home.

"I'll try." I said quietly into her hair. And I knew I would.

She sniffled a little and I prayed silently that she wasn't tearing up. "You are so smart, Albus. Talented. Please don't waste that, alright?"

I let go of her. I was a little taken aback. "Thanks mum."

She nodded and shooed me away. I had to run down to where Lily was entering the train. Once I found a decent compartment, I watched my mother out the window. She was still teetering on the verge of tears and sniffling into her handkerchief. I thought about waving to her, but then thought better of it. I couldn't do it. That kind of thing just wasn't in my nature. Instead I smiled a bit to myself before she disappeared home.

We had arrived so early that I was alone up until the train was nearly ready to depart. Athena was always late so I didn't mind. What I did mind was how my head kept drifting back to the past events that had really fucked me up. I hadn't put too much thought into what had happened with Ted. He had woken up the next morning not remembering one damn thing. I had to watch Victoire sit on his lap while we exchanged gifts. I had to endure a hug from him as he returned the scarf to me, re-wrapped with a new bow. Ted had even apologized for stealing my bed, and for not spending any time with me. It was completely unfair. He was allowed to forget while I had to remember for the rest of my fucking life. Just as I had to remember that the Little Prick had written me off under the guise of a really pretty Christmas card. I would bet all my artistic magazines that Malfoy would plant his arse in Transfiguration and go on with life like nothing had ever happened.

"Knock, knock," came Athena's voice, plowing like the Hogwarts Express right through my thoughts.

I was very pleased to finally see her again. "How was Spain. Did you like your present?"

Athena pushed one of her long blonde curls behind her ears, revealing a blood red stone within a intricate silver inset. "They're gorgeous. And it wasn't too bad. Better than freezing at home. How was your hols?"

I shrugged. "Dull as always, love. Did you get any letters from Erik?"

I was strangely happy to see her grimace. "No. I'm glad too. He's sickening,"

We chattered about boring old Mr. Seventh Year the entire way back to Hogwarts. It felt so pleasant to feel normal. I found myself quickly numbing what had happened. It was pretty easy to forget with Athena constantly babbling in my ear. However, my improved mood came to a standstill once her friend Nicole popped into our compartment.

"We're almost there…me and Sam have been looking everywhere for you,"

Nicole had an accent I never could pick up on. Her eyes and hair were nearly the same color of chocolate brown. I didn't really like her. Then I again I hated almost everyone in school.

"We were snogging." I said convincingly and put my arm around Athena, who rolled her eyes.

"I doubt that, seeing as I don't have a di-,"

"Erik was looking for you too." Nicole said in a voice that hinted she had been dying to relay that ever since she had stuck her nose in the door.

Athena perked up instantly. I pouted. I never made anyone that happy. Either way, the news didn't matter because the train pulled into Hogsmeade a few minutes later. I left Athena jabbering on with Nicole. I suddenly wasn't in the mood for talking. I walked straight up to my dorm and unloaded all my stuff. Quigley was the only one there. He was fiddling with something broken.

"What's that?" I couldn't help but mumble while I was carelessly dumping socks into my trunk.

Quigley looked at me in such shock it was as if I had just asked him for a go in the sheets or something. Damn I had better talk to the kid more often.

"Its…erm, a sneakoscope. My grandfathers…I busted it and I don't know what I'm going to do."

"My bet would be to take it to someone handy, but not a professor. They'd all give you up to your dad."

The poor sod nodded, still looking wary. "I uppose' I'll have to," Quigley placed the pieces into a small satchel and hid it in his school bag.

I nodded and tried looking empathetic. "See you in Turner's."

Quigley left and for a few moments I was actually alone. I knew I'd probably be docked points for being tardy, but I just didn't care. The emptiness was kind of relaxing. Blinding sunlight was threatening the room, shards of it poking through the heavy drapery. Maybe I didn't hate all people. Just disliked most of them. With a sigh I left the dark sanctuary and ambled down to Transfiguration. It wasn't fair. Malfoy wasn't supposed to be in our class. But because he kissed so much arse and wanted to take Advanced Arithmacy, his schedule had to be "special". Old Scor was "special" alright.

I was docked five house points for lateness but made no notice of it. I just fell into the empty space beside Athena. Turner was in full O.W.L mode. Lecturing us all on the dos and don'ts of the examinations. It was all one big yawn to me. I would take a written test. I would take a practical test. I wouldn't cheat. I would study. The end, really. Adults make simple things so complicated, even Turner had to stop and look at his notes.

I knew Malfoy was there. I could sense his presence even if I wasn't allowing myself to look over by the door, where I knew he was sitting. Instead I doodled a bunch of knives sticking out of a really big blond rabbit. Athena was refusing to look my way because of the detail I was going into. It's not like it was bloody and it kept me distracted, so I didn't care. Right before I knew the class would end, I looked over at Malfoy. I knew it was bad, but I just couldn't stand it. The last time I had seen him was when his mouth had touched mine. How could you just ignore someone after that? Call me old fashioned I guess. Kids these days could fuck five thousand people and ignore them every day after. I couldn't even ignore someone I shared two things with, mutual hatred and one snog.

My eyes slowly drifted off the dead rabbit and up to Malfoy's seat. He was staring at Turner, actually looking enthralled by the dull bloke. The Little Prince appeared to be the same as always. Blinding blond hair, cold gray eyes, stark white skin, with a slight curve to his pointed face and set jaw. His profile would have been a supreme sketch if only I had the bollocks to put the pencil to paper. That's when my thought about staring being a stupid idea came true. His bright eyes flicked up towards my seat. I dropped my charcoal and looked away furiously. How could I have been dumb enough to get caught? I started to warn myself not to look again, but that never works. I had to. I glanced back down to see Malfoy's eyes back on Turner. However, there was a small smirk in his lips that hadn't been there a few seconds ago. My stomach lurched with a feeling I could not even describe.

Class ended and I made a show of unpacking and repacking my book bag. I didn't want Malfoy to catch my eye on the way out. I figured it would be simple. He was closest to the door, he would of course be the first to exit. Wrong. He sat in his seat, twiddling with his quill until we were the last people in the room. I couldn't be late to both Transfiguration and Herbology so I bolted down the steps. Malfoy quickly stood up and blocked the doorway with his tree trunk sized chest. Lucky I didn't keep going. I would have been sporting a busted nose.

"Hey Al…" he said quietly. The smirk was gone and replaced by his usual unfathomable look.

I said nothing to him and grunted instead. So classy.

"Did you get my Christmas card?"

Yeah, and I'd like to carve your head off with it. "Sure did."

"Maybe we could hang out tonight. Same place in the basement?"

I snorted. "Uh, I would rather shove bamboo rods up my arse." I couldn't believe how cold I could sound.

His head tipped sideways as he stared at me curiously. "That wasn't a no, so I'll see you around two or so."

Before I could say another word Malfoy turned and left. I watched him sprint down the corridor, heading for Arithmacy. I couldn't make my feet take me to Longbottom's class. I hated Malfoy. I wanted him to croak. But yet, something in me wanted _so_ badly to head down to the basement. And I was going to listen to it.


	10. Submit

A/N: Thanks to anyone who added this to their alerts or reviewed. I love you. *creepy stranger hugs*.

* * *

It was hard to focus throughout the rest of my day. I almost sliced my finger off with a pair of garden shears in Herbology. Professor Longbottom insisted on taking them from me and adding my name to the "safety hazard" sheet. Defense was equally challenging. I didn't take any notes from Quinn's lecture. She was taking a leaf out of Turner's book and giving us more information on the O.W.L examinations. I spent the whole class carving shapes into the desk with my quill. Lunch would have been a relief, if Malfoy hadn't been acting oddly. He was sitting with his friends but very far from his lady love, Violet Nott. She didn't seem to care, however. She was gossiping with a gaggle of girls at the other end of the Slytherin table. For once Old Scor wasn't joking around with his motley mates. He was quietly eating within the circle. That made me jumpy and I couldn't even enjoy my food.

After lunch and a brisk manic run away from a close corridor encounter with the Little Prince, I settled in for a long, boring, double Divination class. Athena made things slightly more fun. It was a good day when we could make up deaths together on our star charts. But today, the old hag Trelawney was going around the room demanding to know our latest dreams. The thought of telling her and the class that the last dream I had experienced was sucking on my sudo-cousin's cock amused me for the first half of the period. Then the crusty bat totally made my day worse.

"Albus Potter! Your father had unusual dreams…an unusual life!" she wheezed. "Tell me, do you also receive messages from beyond the beyond?"

Her face was so close to mine I could count the wrinkles etched around her bulbous eyes.

"Uh. I don't think so." I murmured, trying desperately not to choke on the strong perfume and incense odors that clouded the room.

She seemed intensely disappointed. "Perhaps the blood of your mother has disconnected you from the eye!"

Trelawney swept her long shawls over her shoulder and stomped off to torment some poor Ravenclaw with a bad haircut.

Athena yawned, glaring at the spindly old teacher. "Did she just say you've disconnected your eyes?"

"Something like that." I snort laughed and picked anxiously at my fingernails.

This thing with Malfoy was going to be the death of me.

I didn't bother going to dinner. It wasn't worth the nerve damage. Instead I paced back and forth in the empty dormitory, wondering like hell if going to meet with Old Scor would be a giant disaster. There were just too many possible outcomes. Either he was doing this a secret plot to humiliate me further, and just become my regular tormentor, and out me to all his mates, or he just wanted to snog again. To be honest I was really hoping for the first one. I liked to hate Malfoy. It was much too hard to actually treat him as if he were a human being.

I wasn't a violent person. But I just really wanted to punch something. I fell onto my unmade bed and glared at the wall. It had taken less than a day for me to feel like garbage. I almost missed being back at home, in my bedroom. It was much easier to hide there. Even in the dorm I felt exposed.

It would have been great to have an outlet. Someone to confide all this stuff to. I didn't really have anyone like that. The only person I had ever really told anything to had been Teddy. I wasn't so sure if I could talk to him like that anymore. I chewed on it for a minute, as well as my lower lip. Once both were just too raw I gave in. I sprinted over to my trunk and dug around for ink and some parchment. I wouldn't say any names in my letter, but maybe Ted could give me advice anyway. He was a lot older, so I assumed he was more mature about these kind of situations.

_Dear Teddy,_

_I hope you had a good new years. Mine was kind of boring. I'm back at school now and dreading taking my O.W.L's. I don't think I'll do so well. The reason I'm writing to you is because I have a bit of a problem. Someone at school is sort of using me. They only talk to me when no one else is around. They're a real prat, too. Completely arrogant, not to mention kind of Slytherin. The real problem is…I keep being tempted into talking to them. Should I tell them to fuck off or go against my better instincts and see where it leads me? Hope I'm not bothering you._

_- Albus._

I reread my words half a dozen times before shoving the wrinkled paper into an envelope. I scribbled down Ted's address and made off for the Owlery . Usually I'd beg James to let me borrow his owl Tuck. But I didn't want anyone asking questions so I figured I'd better use a school owl.

The walk up the west tower was always rough. I was definitely not made for physical activity. My body took long and lanky to an entirely new level. Not that I envied those huge, muscular type of blokes. I just kind of wanted to be shorter. And not so weak. I huffed while picking out an owl. I settled on a plump brown one and shooed it away quickly. It squawked at me but it had no choice. I didn't want to stick around the Owlery. All I smelled was old bird feces and dead animals. Delicious, really, but just not for me.

The rest of my evening I sat around the dorm, watching Andy and Quigley try to decipher Turner's assignment on color changing. Quigley's ears were turning purple and neither of them were sure how to fix it. Normally that would have been semi interesting. But now all I could do was have one of those angst filled internal battles with myself.

To go or to say fuck you. That's the real question.

Of course, by the time one in the morning stroked by, I began to get insanely curious. Would he stand me up? He didn't know I had the map. I could get one over on Old Scor if I really had that kind of energy. I could slip the cloak on and pretend to be a ghost or something. Bet the Little Prince would wet his pajamas. I took the map out of my Charms textbook and tapped it with my wand. A few seconds later I found his dot sitting still within the Slytherin 's Common Room under the lake. It was only one. I could wait.

If only waiting wasn't so very boring. I started tapping my wand on the bedpost, but it started to spark. I didn't want to wake anyone, since for once they had all fallen asleep early, (Quigley's ears had returned to their normal color). So I shoved it back into my flannel pajama pocket. I punched my pillow. I ran to the loo to drink several glasses of water. Then, finally, it became close to two. I checked the map again only to have the ball of fear that had knotted inside my stomach drop right into my intestine. The dot labeled Scorpius Malfoy was standing in the basement of the school, as always, half a corridor away from the entrance to the Hufflepuff's Common Room.

I didn't have to time to react emotionally. I stiffly stood up and put on a sweater, not even bothering to take the invisibility cloak. I went to the now too familiar corridor without meeting anyone except for Nearly Headless Nick, who warned me to go to bed but wouldn't tattle on me because I was a Gryffindor. Not to mention I was "my father's son". He caught me out of bed quite often and I always got the same speech. Tonight I didn't really listen to his words. I just nodded mechanically and walked right into the spider's web.

Malfoy was actually wearing a shirt tonight, surprise of all surprises. He was picking away at a thread on his soft gray bottoms. I honed in on the thread and cleared my throat awkwardly. I had to be bold. I had to be my normal, old rude self.

"Hi." Oh, yes. I was so cruel.

His lips stretched into a playful grin. "I wasn't sure you would come."

"Why did you ask me down here? Especially after the card."

My voice sounded more cold the second time around. I just had to look at the shape of his lips, and I could suddenly become enraged. He rejected me through holiday art.

Slowly, Malfoy's smile faded into his face. Good. "I couldn't wait to apologize…I didn't want you to…tell anyone. But you didn't. You were just as strange about it as I was,"

"Was not. I didn't send you any dead things hidden in a Christmas present, even though I _really_ thought about it. You had no right to insult me like that."

"You're correct. I apologize."

"You suck."

The grin was back. "I just needed to be discreet."

He talked like my father. No. He talked like his father, Draco. All the Malfoy's thought they were superior to other people. I decided being crude and irritating was the best way to combat his language.

"So, you're a pouf?"

I loved watching his smile collapse again. Call me Albus Potter- stealer of grins.

"No. I have a girlfriend."

I laugh snorted louder than usual. "And you snog strange blokes in basements as what, sport?"

Malfoy shook his head, brilliant blond strands of hair fell across his pale forehead. "You're the only one I've…met up with."

The response had forced him into using a strange voice. He was less confidant now, and for some reason that made me nervous again. I was getting too used to being rude to his other version of rude. Now we were two awkward people having a queer conversation in near-blackness.

"Sure."

"I mean it. Are you…?"

"Into blokes? I guess. Doesn't matter what I say. You're just asking me down here to convince all your slimy friends that I'm a pouf and then everyone will know and hate me. Well your too late, sir. Everyone already hates me. And I like it that way!" I stamped my foot on the ground. I already sounded childish. Might as well compete the package.

Malfoy's eyes were wide. "That isn't even close to why I ask you to come down here, Al."

I blinked about five thousand times within two seconds. "Then why do it?"

He sighed, his hand going up to scratch the back of his neck. "That's much too complicated to explain."

"Well you should start. I dunno if you noticed, but I'm not a girl."

"I know that." Malfoy said with a look kind of like awe on his face. Like maybe he had just recently thought of me as a male.

I didn't know what else to say. I stood there like a statue, the coldness of the basement creeping inside my sweater. I started to shiver. Malfoy swept over me. We were much too close once again. I could feel the heat from his body practically scorching my exposed neck and arms. I didn't back against any walls this time. There wasn't a spare second left for that. I felt his hands hook around my hips, his index fingers drifting beneath my sweater to pet my skin. Malfoy drew me into his chest without any fight from me. I hated how he could make time seem to just stand still. I hated that his touch made it impossible for me to even move. More than anything, I hated his mouth on mine. It felt so otherworldly. What gave Malfoy the right to give me an out of body experience?

This kiss began just like the previous encounter. Too intense to mistake with a dream. He bit slowly into my lower lip, which at first I thought didn't make any sense. But a half a second later I realized that it was just a tactic. When he had bit down, my mouth opened slightly. Malfoy slid his tongue in beside mine. That should have been when I stopped everything. Threw him away like he had tried to throw me. But why stop it? Why stop something that was happening anyway? The truth was I obviously just fucking liked it. I threw my arms around his back and clung to his broad chest. There was no need for battle of wills when it came to snogging. I submitted so easily. Malfoy was almost lifting me right off the floor, his arms wrapped tight around my waist.

Malfoy only stopped when my nails scraped the back of his neck. His lips let go of mine, and slowly he put me back down on my feet. I was ashamed to be breathing so heavy. I inhaled once and tried to control it. The kissing session with Teddy hadn't been anything like that. And Ted had rubbed my crotch. I'd probably let Scorpius rub my crotch, I thought while trying to hold my breath. I'd probably let the Little Prince do almost anything.

Was that bad?

"You're not a bad kisser." He said softly, his dark eyes scanning my face.

I exhaled gently and hoped he hadn't been watching me hold my breath. "You're dreadful."

"Aren't you ever nice?"

"No."

"Good." Malfoy smirked and then turned around towards the dungeons.

He had left me alone in the basement once again.


	11. Ache

A/N: Thanks for the feedback. This chapter didn't come out at all like I planned. I just gave up. Bad week for me. But we're building up for the biggest break in the story now, so here you go.

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_Dear Al,_

_Sorry it took me so long to write back. Been a bit busy with moving and all that. I have a new place. You should come and see it this summer, since we didn't spend much time together during your winter hols. O.W.L's aren't so bad. Just study and try not to screw around, alright? And as for this mystery person, what are you thinking! You are much better than that, Al. And Slytherin to boot. Half the family would have a cow. Just be smart and don't let any women walk all over you. Have a good term,_

_- Ted._

I didn't really desire any kind of alone time with Ted. Especially shut up in his flat in the heat. I pocketed the letter and immediately pushed it out of my head. I was getting rather good at that. Teddy had taken over a month to write me back. It was also close to a month since I had spoken to old Scor. I will admit I had been hoping he'd hang out after Transfiguration and ask me to meet him in the basement again. I even found myself waiting for him a few times. But he never waited at all. In fact, he started to be the first person to leave after Turner dismissed the class. After the third failure I just gave up and started following Athena out. I wasn't going to keep humiliating myself, even if I was the only audience to it.

The problem with being so cold and pessimistic was that when something was actually wrong, no one noticed. Athena just assumed I was back to my regular old self. In actuality my entire world was on the verge of collapse.

By the time Valentine's Day came around I tried to forget about the Little Prince. It was more difficult than I had first assumed. Thoughts of him felt like a parasite inside my head. They ate up everything else and just sat on my brain. There was a planned Hogsmeade trip in occasion for the most depressing and pointless holiday of the year. And I had no one to go with. Erik had invited Athena, (there was intense gagging behind her back when she finally spilled that to me), and that left Rose and her friends. But besides Allison, none of them seemed to enjoy my presence.

The whole thing was just another reminder that I was going to end up alone. Malfoy wouldn't even glance in my direction, the little puke. I was beginning to hate him again. The rage masked all of the broken feelings I had, which were becoming sharper than shattered glass. Malfoy had let me taste that feeling of intense, physical attraction. And now I found that all my daydreams drifted to him. It was miserable. I craved the small amount of attention even more now that he had stolen it away.

Instead of doing anything fun on Valentine's, I just acted like it was a normal Saturday. I moped around the dorm. I stared at my homework until I decided it wasn't worth doing yet. I rearranged all of my art supplies into neat bins and bottles. It was frustrating. If I wasn't moving, I was thinking. And my thoughts lately had been nothing but trouble.

Around dinnertime I slowly ambled towards the Entrance Hall. Hopefully people would see me and think I had been down to the village. As usual no one really paid any attention to my existence. I spied James holding hands with some ghastly thin, blonde creature whose simpering expression told me she was totally in love with every stupid word that came out of his mouth. I almost retched right into a stone vase. I hid when Athena and Erik went by me. In fact, I was so preoccupied with hiding that I didn't see what was coming until it was much too late.

Scorpius and Violet were holding hands. Laughing. Her pale cheeks were tinged pink from the cold weather. He looked so happy. It was like time stood still in those few seconds. Every time I blinked, my mind took photographs of the pair of them. My heart actually began to ache inside my chest. It wasn't disgust like it should have been. This was the feeling of longing. That really stupid thing I had read about in old Muggle novels and poetry books. Can a heart physically break like that? Probably not. But right then, it sure felt like it.

I bit my lip and turned away. I heard Violet's sweet, tinkling giggle as she passed me by. The back of my throat started to burn. Then I felt it. Something was touching me. A hand, it had to be, because I could sense fingertips. Someone was shoving something inside the pocket of my jeans. Then it left. The hand had been intensely cold. When I finally looked up from the gray stone floor I saw a familiar pair of silver eyes watching me. Scorpius stared right _at _me. He hadn't in so long. It just made the weird moment stretch out infinitely. It only subsided once he joined Violet in her laughter.

Quite a number of people had went by before I had the courage to retrieve the paper from inside my pocket. It was folded neatly with crisp edges. Its only flaw had been a few crinkles from when Malfoy had forced it into my jeans. I unfolded it with shaking hands. What was happening to me?

_Meet me in the vacant Charms classroom on the third floor tonight. Wait until after one._

It wasn't really an invitation. The boldness made it into a command. The thought of Malfoy ordering me around gave me mixed feelings. Part of me wanted to blow it off on purpose. How dare the little fuck order me to meet him for no actual reason other than to abuse my mouth. The other part of me became aroused by the idea of being pushed around by Scorpius. Never before had I been more internally divided. Nobody on earth had ever managed to make me feel or even do anything. Malfoy made me feel twenty different things everyday.

Merlin it was getting on my nerves.

I was just refolding the blasted note when Lorcan Scamander literally came from the shadows.

"You look complicated."

"Huh?"

The lanky, blond boy walked into the light of the Entrance Hall. "Conflicted, Albus. Do you have a problem?"

"Oh no. No problem." I yelped. Last thing I bloody needed was to confess my secrets to someone who announced things as a hobby.

His head tipped slowly to the side. I never realized how cat like Lorcan was. I had a delusional thought about what he would do if I drew whiskers on his cheeks. The scarier thing was that he probably wouldn't even mind.

"I think that whatever you're looking so flummoxed about is probably very simple. Usually people take situations and over-complicate them. Perhaps if you just treated it as it truly is, then things wouldn't seem so bad." Lorcan explained as if he knew exactly what was going on. Who knows. Maybe he did.

"Uh, thanks."

He nodded and walked towards the Great Hall by himself, whistling an unfamiliar tune. The boy was unique.

Lorcan was also completely right. I knew that as soon as he had spoken. I tended to make _all_ situations complicated. Sometimes for no reason. Usually for amusement. But this was different. I could either see where this…_thing_…with Malfoy was going, or stop acknowledging his existence. However, even I could tell the latter was now impossible. I needed his attention. And what I wanted most of all was that aching feeling to just end, one way or another.

I set off around one in the morning like Malfoy had told me to. I waited again and checked the map before leaving the Common Room. I needed to make sure the little blond arsehole was there already. I also didn't want to run into anybody. Living or dead. I was extra careful. I hid in closets, ducked into classrooms, I avoided every direction that would lead to Peeves or a professor. Finally I pulled open the creaky old door to the classroom. Malfoy was sitting on a desk near the window. He didn't look up when I came in. I approached him slowly, not even bothering to say a word.

"You didn't look so happy earlier. I wasn't sure you'd come."

To be honest I expected a harsh, commanding tone from Scorpius. Like his note. But his voice, although rough, sounded concerned. I fought back my palms urge to sweat.

"I always look unhappy to see you," I said snottily.

Malfoy was silent for a moment. He looked up at me and shook his head slowly. "No you don't."

He reached out, towards my arm. The feeling of his fingertips ghosting over my skin was enough to make me squirm where I stood. I bit into my lip to keep from saying anything too bizarre.

"I…I don't understand you." I finally said, very quietly. I couldn't look into his eyes.

"What do you mean, Al?"

"You do…you do realize I'm not a girl, right? You say you don't like blokes, but yet you keep asking me to meet you in places at night…I don't understand. I'm not sure I want to."

Malfoy stopped touching my arm. "I just…I like kissing you." He sat up on the desk and turned so that he was facing me.

"Yeah but I'm definitely not what you're used to."

"Why else would I hang around you if you were exactly like what I've already had?"

My eyes drifted back towards Malfoy's face. I saw too many things there. His eyes were always so bright as if there were fucking torches lit inside him. He wasn't so cocky. He looked afraid. I had never seen fear inside him, but it was there. Apprehension. He looked wrecked and tormented and for the first time, I saw myself inside someone else. Malfoy was hiding from everyone. He was just loads better than me at doing it.

"I do have a penis you know. I hate lots of giggling. I don't go to the loo with my friends. And I certainly don't want to hang on your arm like a simpering idiot."

A small smile tugged on the edges of Scorpius's lips. "I consider those positives, Al."

"Why do you call me Al?"

He didn't say a word. Instead he let his hands slide up over my chest, and back down over my hips. The skin beneath my baggy pajamas prickled as he touched me over and over again. The fifth time around Scorpius slid his hands, (warmer than when he had put the note in my pocket, thank Merlin), up beneath my shirt. If I had been born a normal person, what he was doing would probably seem peculiar. Scorpius slowly caressed every inch of my narrow chest with his hands and fingertips. He pushed along my ribs, his nails grated gently into my abdomen. The entire time I don't think I even breathed. He seemed so focused. I started to wonder if maybe he really did just acknowledge that he had been snogging a bloke. Quite suddenly everything stopped. Scorpius took his hands out of my shirt and let his shaking forearms relax on his thighs. I couldn't believe I was doing it, but I bowed my head down and kissed his mouth. Not directly on his soft, full lips, but right beside them in the corner where his smiles always hid. I felt one grow when I kissed him. His arms stopped shaking and he stood up to pull me into his chest. It was amazing to have Scorpius so close when for over a month he had alluded me. I didn't want that to happen. The ache inside me wasn't pounding in my chest. Instead blood rushed through my ears. I could hear every pump and beat of Scorpius's heart as well. I wanted to remember every single sound.

His lips covered mine as he figuratively swallowed me whole. I needed every moment of it. His hands on my lower back, the way he was holding me so tight it was almost too much to take. Scorpius lifted me up and sat me on the desk he had left seconds before. His lips touched my earlobe and I noticed I was shaking slightly. Things were becoming more and more intimate and I had absolutely no control whatsoever. Scorpius licked his way down my neck, away from my ear and towards the center of my throat. He bit down quite hard but it didn't exactly hurt. I jolted forward into him which caused Scorpius to laugh. His hands slid down over my thighs, palms caressing the thin fabric of my pajama bottoms.

Once again, I looked at Scorpius's face and didn't like what I found. His smile was gone. He slowly retreated back from me. The divided parts inside my head were both confused. I wanted to ask him what was wrong. But I guess that was too easy to figure out. When he had touched my thighs, he had felt how his earlier actions had already affected me. The erection wasn't noticeable yet, but I knew he had brushed up against it. The fear inside Scorpius had returned. Whether that fear was from that he was currently cheating on Violet, or that he had a very clear picture now of what was happening…I wasn't sure.

"I have to go."

"I know." I jumped off the desk. I wasn't angry. The ache was back. I wanted to shrivel up and die on the floor.

My words had stopped the boy in his tracks.

"You say you like me…then you always leave me behind and make me feel like an idiot. How can you treat someone that way? It doesn't matter what the hell I have in my pants…I still deserve better than that." I pushed past him. "Don't ever invite me again if you are only going to fuck it up."

I slammed the door right in his face. The real beautiful part was when I heard his quiet, not so stern anymore voice murmur,

"I'm sorry, Al."


	12. Blown

A/N: I don't know why I decided to do this chapter. I wasn't going to, but here it is. More drama. Chapters thirteen through eighteen or so are of a more…sensual nature? Just as a heads up.

* * *

March kind of crept up on me. I had been so absorbed inside Scorpius Land that I hadn't noticed the arrival of spring. Realizing it had convinced me to throw in the figurative towel about the entire episode. Obviously, the prat hated me. He liked girls. His confusion with his sexuality was sorted out, so happy fucking ending for him. I had seen Scor everywhere, but he was always with that little ice queen. It was just too tiring to sit around like a baited dog. I wasn't about to be a fool and wait for some Slytherin every night in the dark bowels of the school.

I had lived nearly sixteen years all by myself. I could keep doing such. In order to distract myself from thinking about stupid blonds with issues, I had thrown myself into my studies. That should have been an apoplectic sign to people who knew me. To most of my family it probably had to be. I read during mealtimes. I read during my evenings. I even studied my Charms book as I walked to my defense class. Though I was becoming exceptional with my wand work, I was better at Potions. Even Rose admitted I had excelled at our practice run of the Draught of Living Death. I wanted to stun them all. Albus Potter was finally showing his brains. And I revealed in upstaging competition.

Besides, if my brain was too busy with goblin war tactics and the exact measurements of dragon's blood, then I wouldn't think about Scorpius. Which in some ways scared me. I could walk past him in the hall and not even notice until hours later. Then one morning, I realized I hadn't even noticed him at all within a span of several days. Had I really buried my emotions that deeply? Or had those moments been an illusion after all?

My newest companions were Rose and her friends. That included the very freckled Allison. She was the easiest to talk to in that crowd. The overachiever teacher pleasers. I used to hate the lot of them but considering my marks were surpassing theirs, they had to let me hang around. They wanted to poke my brain. Not that I made it easy of course. Usually I explained myself with really big words even if I was using them incorrectly. As if I would help them get a better mark than me. I tutored Allison, and sometimes I'd study with Rose.

But I _really_ liked Allison.

It was weird. I hadn't ever bonded like that with a girl before. Athena didn't exactly count. My relationship with her had been intensely superficial. Mostly because Athena was very superficial. Allison was the opposite. She rarely wore makeup or harped on about boys and that kind of thing. It was nice. We started talking walks around the grounds once the weather warmed up a little. I didn't feel so harshly examined around Allison, like I always felt around Scorpius.

"I suppose she meant we were supposed to number the bottles, not color code them…who cares. She can dock us the points!" Allison exclaimed as we descended upon the lake during one of our post-Potions strolls.

I smiled and shook my head. "I don't want any points docked."

"Doubt she will anyway…your hair gets longer everyday, I swear!"

"I like it this long."

She scrunched up her nose. It was bloody adorable. "I never said I didn't like it."

Allison plopped down into a patch of dark green grass adjacent to the black lake. I watched her cross her slender legs. Her skin was so pale…like porcelain. I loved it. The way the lightness of her flesh contrasted against the dark russet color of her hair was incredible. She was so distinct, like a work of art. Even though I knew I fancied Allison, there was something missing between us. It ate away at my brain. It even itched. I couldn't quite put my finger on the absent element between Allison and I. I wasn't sure I wanted to.

"The big match is tomorrow. You better come down to the pitch."

Now I felt my own face scrunch up. I doubted it was as precious as when Allison had done the same thing. "Why would I do that?"

"Slytherin's throwing a big party before the game. It's that Malfoy bloke's birthday. All the scum will be there. Hah, their fun will end once we get on our brooms," she said with an innocent hint of malice.

I nearly laughed. "_Our_ brooms? You don't play,"

"You know what I mean." Allison sighed. Her clear blue eyes scanned over the solid water of the lake.

Malfoy's birthday. Mr. Sixteen. Bet he thought he was something else, too. I could only pray that Violet would accidentally bite off his cock during one of their tender oral moments. Retch.

"Who would want to celebrate the birth of that monster?" I was kind of prodding Allison. I wanted her to hate him too.

"Oh I know. If he wasn't such a good Keeper no one would hang around that prat, or his dolled up fish that he calls a girl."

I snort laughed which made Allison laugh too. Soon we were both laughing so hard, making harsh jokes about fishes wearing lipstick. It was ridiculous, yes. But it made me realize what was missing. Although I enjoyed almost everything about Allison, she didn't make me feel surreal. Unfortunately only Scorpius could make things seem alien. I craved that. I just didn't realize it only had one source.

After the laughter had subsided I sort of curled into myself. I rested my head over my knees and squinted out at the lake. I kind of wanted to go and drown in its murky depths.

"You okay…Al?" her arm was around my shoulders. I could feel the edge of her breast against my ribcage.

I pondered whether organs could blush.

"I don't know, Ally. I don't really know."

I had her cradle me until dinnertime, but no sparks occurred. I had been half praying for some kind of feeling with Allison. They never came. Was I doomed to only be attracted to someone I also was so inclined to hate? Gods, it was in my blood to despise the shallow, blond Little Prince.

Despite the inner recluse inside me, screaming against any kind of school established event, I ended up going down to see the match. James was all hot about it. It was the last game before finals. Ravenclaw was already out. It supposedly was some kind of gigantic upset, understood by everyone but me. I was happy if I made it down to the game without getting rained on.

"Over here!" Rose yelled from the upper section of our house's stands. Huge Gryffindor banners waved in the strong wind.

I started up the metal steps when a soft hand slid against mine. "Wait Al,"

It was Allison. "What is it?"

She bit into her lower lip. She had a soft looking mouth and perfect teeth. I was into teeth. And smiles. Allison was good at smiling too. Almost as good as she was at blushing.

"Would you like to…hang out after the game. Just me and you?"

There was something hidden within her offer. It was sneaky, but it was there in plain view.

"I…I…maybe, I…"

"Great," she said quickly.

I didn't really think I had agreed, but obviously Allison was certain. She pressed her lips up against my mouth. I hadn't been prepared. They were all dried out and bitten from my lack of caring within the past month combined with the wind. My eyes nearly bulged out of my head in shock, like in one of those Muggle cartoons. Somewhere behind me people started to sing happy birthday. That seemed entirely out of place until Allison finally let go of my mouth.

"See you in the stands!" she blurted out and scurried away, a blush stinging her pale skin.

I stood there like a statue and watched as the Slytherin team members ate an odd looking green cake. In the center stood Scorpius. The wind was whipping his hair around his pointed face. The grey clouds had settled over the pitch. If someone was watching outside from the castle, they probably couldn't tell what time of day it was. Malfoy wasn't eating any of his repulsive cake. He stood their watching me in shock. He had seen Allison kiss me. Maybe he had seen her holding my hand in the corridors, too. Or how we studied so close together in the library. Or maybe he had just finally realized that I still existed.

Wave after wave of memory came pounding down on me like the ocean. I fled the pitch, I escaped the scene so quickly I was sure I left a trail of fire in my footsteps. There was more to Scorpius and I. And now I was certain neither of us wanted to ignore it.


	13. Need

A/N: Okay so I'm about to do some **_major_** pimping. One, for those of you who write on live journal, there's a Teddy Lupin fest that I'm writing for. You can just submit ideas, or you can pick ones to write, or both. You can also help by donating money to Japan to help relieve the stress of those insane quakes. They have straight, slash, and general topics. The link to the fest is on my profile. Please, please, sign up. Notify me if you do, but don't tell me about the prompt you choose! It's anonymous! Haha. Also, all submissions for prompts must be in by April 30th. So hurry! Also, my friend and I were shooting back titles if I choose to do a companion fic for this story. It would be in Scorpius's point of view, but eventually shorter than this story. We came up with two corny titles, so if you guys could give your opinion that would be swell. If you have your own title idea, that would also be good. In addition, thanks for all of the reviews, alerts and favorites I have received for this story. I know it isn't perfect but I actually enjoy writing it. So please keep reading!

Title ideas:

1.) The Cat's Pajamas.

2.) The Bee's Knees.

3.) Any other ideas are welcomed.

* * *

I knew that Athena would eventually notice that I had been absent from her life. It took almost two months but she finally called me out on it one morning during a particularly dull Transfiguration class.

A neatly folded square of parchment appeared beside my long length of notes on Vanishing spells. I unfolded it knowing full well it was from poor Athena.

_Albus,_

_Where the hell have you been? We scheduled all this time to study together like, four months ago. You never show up at the library on Fridays but you're there all the time with your boring old cousin. No offense, but she really is a bore! What's wrong with you?_

I resisted my inner urge to sigh just in case she heard me.

_A-_

_I'm sorry. I've just been preoccupied. I guess you could say I'm seeing someone. I can't tell you who. But if you want, I'll tutor you this weekend._

_- A the 2nd__._

Athena's frown only deepened as she read over my note. She nodded at me afterward which was sort of useless. Now I had no clue whether she meant yes or no to my weekend idea. My hold on sighing wore out and I nearly blew all my notes onto the floor in one breath. Oh yeah, real smooth.

I always had one hell of a time dodging Allison after class. Since my manic breakdown at the Quidditch game, not to mention totally ditching her that evening, she'd become nearly impossible to avoid. The really fucking dreadful part was that I didn't want to ignore Allison. I just didn't know what to say. It's not like I could blab about Malfoy. I just felt like I had to hide it. I had to hide until Allison understood that we could only ever be friends. Besides, after the Great Teddy Incident, I didn't need anymore conflicting emotions whirring inside me. Malfoy had given me too many of those already. I couldn't keep maxing out my limits.

I was still on my whole "studying provides ignorance" bit. It was a good thing. It kept be occupied, unsociable, and had me prepared for the O.W.L.s all at the same time. Every Monday I was supposed to join Rose's study group in the western courtyard. Once again I found myself running late after Potions. I bid a very haughty Athena goodbye and had to race to the dorms to grab my History of Magic notes. The inside of my trunk looked like a minor war zone. Stacks of parchment were sticking out of textbooks. Bottles of potions ingredients were cluttered among the hair products (a real potential for disaster). I yanked my copy of _A History of Magic _out from beneath my charcoal sketches and flung the Marauder's Map onto the rug.

"Fuck," I heard myself murmur out loud. The map was still in its written state, untouched from my adventure last winter.

I grabbed the map up off the carpet and shoved my wand at it, nearly ripping through the thick parchment. Rose's dot was still waiting for me near the Entrance Hall. However, Malfoy's dot was pacing right outside the Fat lady's portrait. That prompted several panicked emotions inside me. One, how did he even know I was in here? Two, he shouldn't be standing around there like he knew it was the entrance Gryffindor Tower. I mean, everyone knew, but you were supposed to act like you had no clue. And finally, I thought as my heart began to beat loud inside my ears, was Scorpius really waiting for me? I hate to admit this, but I ran down the stairs as fast as possible. Then I very slowly climbed out of the portrait hole, as if I had no inkling that Malfoy was even alive.

"Hey there, Al."

His voice was the same. The sound danced over my eardrums and stuck inside my brain. It sent weird shivers down my spine.

"Why are you out here?" I hoped I sounded bored as I headed for the stairs. I hadn't a clue if it worked but the blond started to follow me down the steps.

"Do you think…" Malfoy's voice trailed off as a group of second years walked past us. "…you could meet me in the Astronomy Tower tonight?"

He had whispered 'Astronomy Tower' like it was some kind of forbidden place. It had a edge to it that made it difficult for me to breathe.

"I guess…why?" I paused on the bottom stair. Scorpius was two above me, gripping onto the railing as the whole staircase began to move left.

"To talk. What else?" he smiled and sprinted up to the eighth floor. "See you,"

I watched his back as he vanished through an archway. My senses were in total overdrive yet again. I was still angry from my last encounter with old Scor. Talking would be all he would get from me, right? Fucking right.

I sighed. I was late meeting Rose but she didn't seem to mind. What bothered her more was how rigid and tense I had become. It was all Malfoy's doing but I could never tell her that. I was beginning to realize that I was probably going to have to keep everything a secret for the rest of my life.

"I'm just saying. You look really flushed. It could be an allergy, or-,"

"Stop. I'm fine, Rose. I was just running like a fool trying to get here on time."

She bit her lip, still looking like a worried mother. "Well, alright. Let's go meet Andy and Quinn."

"No…no Allison today?" I tried to sound nonchalant, but Rose knew better.

"She's upset you've been running from her. What happened between you two anyway?"

"Ah, Andrew. You don't happen to have a spare quill, do you?" I completely avoided my cousin's eyes and threw myself at the mercy of my dorm mate.

"No problem if you have Binns' notes from last week."

Rose glared at me but thankfully she dropped the issue. I had been planning on Allison attending group, so much so that I had been stressed out over that more than Scor's latest invite. Now that I was calm again, new fears set in. What would happen if I chose to meet the Little Prince that evening? Surely nothing good. I tried hard to focus on Rose re-explaining the goblin wars to us, but I kept drifting in and out. Soon it was dinner time and I found myself walking back with Andy.

"Ally told me…to tell you…that she's sorry?" he said slowly, looking very confused. Andy was pretty cute for my standards. He was far better looking than anyone else in our dormitory.

"Ah…thanks, erm…tell her I'm sorry too. Kay'?"

"No problem, Albus. Hey, can I keep these? I can't focus in Binns' class long enough to even write a sentence,"

I laughed and shrugged. "Sure. No problem."

Andy smiled and shoved the notes in his backpack. I followed him to the house table and sat between him and Quinn. I tucked in as fast as possible- no need to run into Allison before bedtime. In my dorm I could hide. I dug out my Astronomy charts and tried my best to look occupied. Her sweet, wind chime voice drifted through my ears while I read through the constellations. She said nothing to me, however, and sat five places down near my sister. So she was upset. And now she wasn't even bothering to confront me on it. Although that was what I wanted, wasn't it? So why did it make me unhappy?

Suddenly I didn't feel hungry. "I'm going to stop by the library before it closes. See you," I excused myself. No one seemed to care.

It was kind of stupid to leave. My hunger returned an hour later but my arse was planted in bed already. I gazed upwards at the ceiling and wondered if I'd kiss Malfoy in a few short hours. I didn't really plan to, but I had to admit it was possible. Not that I wouldn't enjoy myself…I turned onto my stomach and sighed, picking at a thread on my pillow case. Last year in April I was just some arrogant pisspot with no goals. Now I was considered smart, and I had too many people to deal with. I missed my old self in a way. He was more sure of himself, even if no one liked him. Now though…I honestly had no clue who I could be.

"Hey Albus," Quigley Longbottom greeted merrily as he entered the dorm. He was carrying some large flower pot, a hissing green bulb was protruding from the soil. No doubt one of his father's creations.

"Hey…what is that?"

"A Hissing Hibiscus. Isn't it neat? I'm going to find Rose and show her it, she really loved the Dancing Daises I grew last month."

Poor kid had a real itch for my cousin. Sad part was that they were completely suited for one another. No matter that Rose wouldn't admit to it.

"She's going to the library. She had to return the stuff we borrowed yesterday to make our Divination charts."

"Thanks Al!" Quigley bounded back out of the dorm like an excited puppy. I had to refrain from actually giggling.

Around midnight I started to become overwhelmingly anxious. I decided to go to the tower before Scorpius, so that way I could start to calm down. I pulled the cloak over me and slipped out of the empty dorm. We were all in test mode so no one went to bed before nearly two, even on weeknights. I crept through the crowded common room and went out through the portrait hole. I was so used to hearing the whispered questions about it opening on its own that I didn't even bother trying to trick anyone.

I felt as if I were on some kind of mission. I sprinted through the shadows of the school, dodging anyone who came down my path. The worst part was climbing up the spiral staircase to the Astronomy tower. The whole thing shook beneath my weight and made trying to be quiet nearly impossible. I decided to just run up the shotty piece of iron and shut the door quickly. I tossed the cloak on Professor Sinistra's desk.

The tower, of course, provided spectacular views of the castle grounds. I never grew tired of Hogwarts scenery. I walked over to one of the archways and slid down to the floor. There was a decent breeze blowing through the gaps in the stone work. Suddenly, I felt at peace. Even in April the air had the scent of spring's arrival. I laid my head back against the arch way and tried to calm down. I had been rushing around constantly ever since I left Scorpius alone in the old classroom. Rushing and trying to forget him. Now I was sitting here, wondering like hell what drew me to him.

"Gods let him just not show up…" I whispered out loud, my eyes closed tight as another breeze rolled in.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Al," said that elegant, deep voice I knew could only belong to one person. That voice haunted my dreams.

I turned around to see Malfoy standing there. He hadn't changed out of his uniform, but he looked a little worse for wear. His trousers were rumpled and wrinkled. His tie was hung over his shoulders, one end hanging lower than the other. Even Malfoy's shirt was all crumpled, some of the buttons were in the wrong holes. I blinked up at him without anything intelligent to say.

"I-, ugh. You didn't." I grumbled. I heard him snicker.

Malfoy slid into one of the chairs beside the telescope racks. He looked insanely tired.

"I though you would be the one to stand me up, actually. You have every reason to. I'm only going to ruin things."

I stood up slowly. Never before had he said so much to me, and for it to be about his feelings, I was shocked.

"You haven't ruined anything. There's nothing to ruin, right?"

Malfoy went silent for a few seconds. "Now, we both know that's not true."

His words made every hair on my arms stand up. Even though I despised how weak he made me, I also loved it. Who wouldn't? I slowly approached the armchair, only knowing what I was going to do after I did it.

"I just hate when you would stop. And leave me standing there like a fool."

My words were strained, almost whispered. I sounded as scared as I felt.

His head slowly tipped to the side, his white blond hair hit the moonlight and made his appearance almost unearthly. "You are not a fool at all…"

I sat in his lap. Why, I could never figure out. At first I just sat there like an idiot. Malfoy stared at me as if he didn't know what to do either. His shirt was buttoned too oddly for me to decipher, so I just shoved my hand beneath the scratchy fabric. I felt too hot flesh beneath my fingertips as I explored Scorpius's chest with my hand. I wanted to touch every inch, see every inch, taste every inch…I'm a five senses kind of person. He let me do whatever I wanted. He even laughed a little when he slid his arms around my waist, making me jump.

"You don't have to stop…" Malfoy's lips kissed my earlobe. My hand had frozen on his abdomen.

I couldn't speak. I just allowed my fingers to circle around his nipples. I heard his breathing become irregular. Every so often he'd blow soft puffs of warm air into my neck. I wanted every part of Scorpius Malfoy to become mine. I never knew I could be that territorial, but it was true. That's why my heart shattered instantly when I spotted the yellow and purple contusion on Malfoy's pale neck.

"Violet's work?" I prodded the bruise to make him flinch.

"Weeks ago…Albus, we broke up. I thought you might've heard that bit of gossip by now,"

I shook my head. "I've been busy."

"Busy ignoring me. You always have your head in a book."

"It's better than having my head up Violet's-,"

He shot me a warning look. "Al-,"

"I was going to say skirt!" I tried to sound innocent, but I guess Malfoy didn't buy the act.

People usually didn't.

He kissed me, long and hard. I dug my nails into his chest and prayed that I would leave better marks than that tramp. Malfoy bit slowly into my lip, drawing a small line of blood that ran down my chin. I watched as he licked it all up. I knew that sooner or later he'd notice the hard bulge that was my crotch. I couldn't let him run, however. I'd rather die than be left alone in the darkness ever again.

I kissed down that long, pale neck. I didn't kiss over that bruise though. I purposely licked away from it. If Scorpius noticed, he never said anything. His hands slid lower, away from my sides. I knew what he was going to do. Part of me wanted to actually shy back and stop him. After all, we were only heading in one direction. He grabbed my behind, kneading and squeezing it until I was on the verge of moaning into his neck. I didn't want to. For some reason I wasn't ready to let myself go. I wasn't ready to let myself be ravaged by the boy of my dreams. I stopped kissing his delicious skin and looked up into his brightly lit eyes. He was already staring at me.

"What's wrong, Al?"

Oh yes, would his voice haunt me forever…

"I can't. Not in some armchair…not in the tower…"

He looked a little confused. But I watched him slowly become embarrassed, his pale cheeks flushing pink. "Right. You're right. I didn't know I'd get carried away so easily,"

"Now, Malfoy. We both know that isn't true." I couldn't help myself.

He shared the smile with me and pinched my arse so hard I thought I'd fall out of the chair.

"You're a terrible little puke." Malfoy decreed, still wearing his smile.

"Sadistic…ghost." I was still rubbing my arse and therefore had no comment.

His eyebrows drifted up his forehead. "Ghost?"

"It means your pale."

"Of course it does. I'd like to walk you back to the seventh floor, Al…"

My jaw literally dropped. "Excuse me?"

He looked a little nervous. "Yeah. Why not?"

"Erm…you can…" I slowly got off his insanely warm lap. I could still see the hardened bulge I had caused in his black school trousers.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "You stopped me. Blame yourself."

"I blame you. I can't in a tower…"

"You're acting like a virgin."

I wasn't thinking, but that was also Malfoy's fault. "I am a virgin."

Malfoy stopped walking and stared at me. I turned a really dreadful red color, I'm sure. He seemed to be surprised.

"Is that such a terrible thing?"

"I think it's a marvelous thing," Scorpius slid an arm around my waist as we walked out into the hall.

I was tucking the cloak into my side. "Pervert,"

I expected him to ask about my dad's cloak but he never did. The entire walk back to the Fat Lady, all Scorpius did was whisper jokes about Professor Turner and cling me tight into his side. I felt so…needed. Wanted. For the first time in my entire life. When he kissed me goodnight, I felt like a whole person. It made me feel glorious and stupid all at the same time.

"I hope you'll meet me again soon, Al…I wish I had picked a warmer location," his breath was warm and filled with lust as it blew against my cheekbone.

"Don't flatter yourself," I kissed his nose and bid him a final goodnight.

He didn't notice that I stood there like a fool while he left, wishing like anything that he hadn't left. There are some things other people should just never know.


	14. Problem

A/N: Man you guys are no help haha. Thanks for all of the comments, however ;p.

* * *

The next few mornings I woke up feeling too happy. I was being cheerful. Helpful. It was bloody disgusting. I needed my sarcasm back. I tried my best to cling to Athena, hoping like anything that she would rub off on me. But once I left her side I was back to feeling amazing. Why? Well, I didn't quite know what to call it. Scorpius had acknowledged me. In public.

I had been walking into the Great Hall with Rose for lunch. He was leaving with a few of his snake mates. His eyes met mine, he smiled, and then waved to me. Rose looked completely shocked that I grinned back. Every time Malfoy made me feel that way, my mind shorted out and some part of me became so nervous that I felt sick. I took my seat beside my cousin and tried my best not to puke all over my lunch.

"Why's the Little Prince being so chummy with you?" Rose inquired in her detective voice.

I made a huge show of mashing up my potato. "Oh…erm. We talk sometimes."

"So he's a friend of yours…?"

"Why the sudden interest in my personal life?" I barked at her.

Rose narrowed her eyes at me. "Calm down. It was just a question,"

I snorted, (minus any laughter for once), and focused on making a tiny town with the remains of my food. I couldn't really hold onto any appetite. Things were really getting out of control. It was as if suddenly I had no control over my life. No say in anything I felt or did. It was frustrating. Even if I did love the time I did get to spend around Scorpius. Maybe I really was beginning to care for him. Or perhaps it was because I spent such little time around him, that I ended up craving more during the lonely nights without his voice.

What I decided was really going on was very simple. I was slowly turning into a sap.

I spent the rest of lunch killing the tiny people in my potato town.

Well, I knew I couldn't avoid Allison for the rest of my life. Although, I did put up a very good fight. One week in April it started to rain like mad and didn't stop for anything. The Black Lake almost flooded for the first time in half a century. Not that this affected anyone in fifth or seventh year. We would have been shut up with our studies, rain or shine. I was laying down in a very empty stairwell near Gryffindor tower. It was dark enough in the cylindrical space that I had to read by wand and candle light. How she knew I was there, I could never figure out.

"_The most important step in the concoction is to stir counter clockwise. This prevents any of the toad eyes from st-,_ Allison…" I looked upwards at her freckled face.

Her wand was lit and her eyes were cold. I bit into my lip. Allison stepped down into the stairwell.

"Albus,"

"I am so sorry…you don't understand…I was already…I…"

She sighed and sat down beside me on the stair. "I figured it was something like that. Who is she?"

"Not a she…" I found that I blushed after admitting it. Maybe I wasn't so okay with my sexuality either. At least to most people.

Allison's pretty eyes grew huge and round. "A _he_? You must tell me who it is! I had no idea…"

"You're sounding gossipy. Better calm down,"

I felt her punch my side in the dark. "Just tell me…"

What I said would later ruin everything. At least, it almost would. "Scoripus, alright? Malfoy…"

From the expression on Allison's face, you would have thought I had said I was going to castrate myself. With a fork. While blindfolded. Drunk.

"Malfoy? But he's a…"

"Slytherin."

"And you're a…"

"Fucking loser. I know, but these things happen."

She punched me again. "Stop the inner pessimist. Why don't you both make it official?"

I groaned. "Erm…Malfoy is in the,"

"Closet?"

I nodded, almost mournfully so, "Regrettably. And it isn't like I'm out either,"

Allison frowned a little. "He seems to make you happy, Albus."

"Once again-, regrettably so."

I knew at that moment I could always count on Allison. She was understanding, level headed, and totally not my cousin or Athena. One was too judgmental the other was just self absorbed. I was both, of course, which was why I needed Allison.

"C'mon. Let's get out of here. Who studies in dark stairwells anyway?" she stomped up the steps to the door.

"Me, apparently,"

Rose was behind the door. Her arms were full of books. "Oh! Sorry…erm, made up did we?" Her eyes glanced between the two of us standing in the shadows.

I had to fix things before old Rose took everything out of context. Luckily, Allison tried smoothing it over.

"Not like that. We're just friends. I'm not Al's type. He's more into blonds."

Rose's dark eyebrow raised dangerously up her forehead. "Oh is he?"

I said nothing, pretending to buckle and re-buckle my backpack. "Let's get to the library, ladies. We're wasting daylight!"

Allison noticed my discomfort instantly. "Hah…not that you could tell with this kind of weather,"

We both brushed past Rose, who was now looking at me like she had just finally figured me out. As if I was her long term experiment. I turned pale, slowly. I doubt she could know about Malfoy. Who honestly would guess that, anyway? I wouldn't let her ruin anything. I wouldn't let her drag the whole thing to hell.


	15. Witnesses

A/N: Thanks for all of the feedback.

* * *

"_Happy Birthday, Al! We are so proud of you. Headmistress Randolph informed us of all the progress you have made in your studies. We weren't sure what to send for your birthday, so I decided on the quills. They weren't cheap mind you, so hopefully they're perfect for taking your examinations. We'll have so much to celebrate once you all return home for the summer."_

_Love,_

_Mum & Dad. _

Of course, Dad's handwriting wasn't anywhere on the birthday card. Mum always signed his name on everything. But the quills ended up being pretty impressive, as she had promised. They were jet black from their points to their ruffled, lavish tops.

"They can't be owl feathers." Scorpius was examining one of my new quills.

I took it from his hand and tickled the underside of his chin with the dark black feathers. "They look like raven feathers."

"There aren't any ravens that large,"

"Monster ravens?"

"You're ridiculous. But either way," Scorpius sat up off the grass and touched his warm lips to my cheek. "Happy birthday,"

Then he handed me a thick envelope that I took with some hesitation.

"This isn't like that ruddy Christmas card, is it?"

I watched as he rolled his eyes. "I told you to forget that."

I pulled the envelope open. The card was hand made, just like before. The scene this time was a mountainous birthday cake surrounded by scarlet and gold streamers and balloons. I slid open the thick card and a photograph fell out onto the grass. I had to hold in a snort laugh once I saw what photo it was. The back of it was date marked for the September when I was eleven. It was taken at Kings Cross train station, at the Hogwarts platform. I was in the background standing beside a scowling James. However I wasn't staring in anger with him. My pale little face was gazing in curiosity. A child like nativity I hadn't known I ever possessed. I followed my young eyes and saw that I had been staring at a flaxen haired Scorpius, whose gorgeous eleven year old self was the main object of the photograph. At least, I could tell that had been the original intention.

"Who took this?" I asked incredulously, not even looking up from the picture.

"My mother. She's never been very camera savvy." By the tone of his voice I could tell that Scor was grinning. "Found it in the family album last holiday,"

I bit into my lip and glanced sideways at him. "Did you mean what you said on Christmas? That you wanted me to leave you alone?"

His grin faded. I was sorry to see it leave him. "I didn't know how to react…about kissing you. I wanted to call my owl back the moment I sent that bloody card…"

I moved closer to him in the grass. My chest bumped up against his side. Scorpius did like I wanted and his head turned in my direction so that our lips brushed across each others.

"Kiss me for real now. No cheek kisses," I whispered softly, feeling my breath warm his mouth.

Scorpius smirked a little. "We're outside, Al…"

"Not in plain view, mind you. I agreed to hiking out here." I almost pouted.

That made the Little Prince chuckle. Then slowly he began to kiss me. Pleasure spread throughout my entire body. It was impossible not to want more from the boy beside me. One kiss was just never enough. I automatically parted my lips once I felt Scor's tongue urging me to do so. I wasn't scared at all when I felt the weight of him press over top of my body. I raked my nails into his chest, which always sparked something inside Scorpius. His hand connected with my crotch and tugged down the zipper of my school trousers. The feeling reminded me of Christmas eve and a drunken Teddy. I hadn't felt anything when I had been kissing Ted at the Burrow. But I let Scorpius do as he pleased. It was sort of impossible not to. His hand pushed into my boxers, rubbing and exploring along my stiffening cock. When Scor closed his palm around my sack and gave it a tight squeeze, a light, but thankfully not girlish moan slipped out of my mouth. I looked up at Scorpius to find him already staring at me with an expression of want. He _wanted_ me. I stared back into his silver eyes and hoped he received the same message from me.

His hand tightened back around the length of my cock, but by now I was already uncomfortably erect. My pants and every thing were still on, but there was nothing I could do. I was beginning to really hate that I agreed to a walk out on the grounds for my birthday. We were secluded, sure, but I wasn't about to lay starkers out in the grass. My luck, one of the Quidditch teams would come strolling by after a nice Friday scrimmage. But Scorpius wouldn't stop. His hand kept pumping my cock until I knew there wasn't any going back. I latched my arms around his muscular torso. His lips found my earlobe and bit down hard into it. Harder than he usually did.

"I think this a better present than a photo, eh?"

I could still hear the blasted smile in his voice.

"I can't…don't let me in my pants…"

His tongue trailed down the pulse point in my neck, nearly sending me rocketing into the clouds. "I wouldn't."

I didn't have to tell Scorpius again. He slid my trousers and boxers down together. I actually managed a good blush when he let my cock spring free from the constraining fabrics. I really hadn't remembered that letting him wank me meant he'd be able to basically see everything. Then again I never really planned anything all the way through. Why would that be any different?

Scorpius covered the head of my hard prick with his mouth. He sucked hard, perhaps too hard too soon, and I came rough. Cum dripped down the corner of Scor's mouth. The sight in itself was another reason to just do it all over again. He pulled my boxers and trousers back up to my waist and even zippered me back up. Then he rested his head against my stomach. I didn't go back to breathing normally until Scorpius decided to speak.

"I didn't think I had a choice,"

His words were soft, almost sad. I started to pet his white blond hair which was growing in longer at my bequest.

"A choice?"

"To be with people outside of my parent's little realm. Violet and all my friends…their families are connected to mine." Scorpius started pulling out small blades of grass. "I've been conditioned to be with her since I was born."

I gulped a little. What exactly was I interfering in? "I'm sorry…I can't imagine being in that kind of position,"

"I just accepted it, you know? Never getting to make my own choices. I don't know though how long I can stand it all…"

The tone of his voice wasn't carrying a smile, or happiness at all anymore. I snuggled the boy into my lap as best I could. After all, he was quite larger than me. With much, much larger problems.

* * *

_Rose._

I couldn't believe what my eyes were showing me. My cousin Albus and Draco Malfoy's heir, Scorpius…laying in the grass snogging. I only watched them for a few moments before I ran away. How could Albus keep something like that a secret? Had he no idea the history between our families? I raced back to the castle as fast as I could. I had even abandoned Albus's birthday gift back at the scene of their crime.

In the Entrance Hall I finally stopped to catch my breath.

"Rose, what's wrong…you look exhausted,"

It was Allison. She was carrying a large box wrapped in bright orange paper. I had told her to meet me to go and find Albus, but she had been late and I had gone without her.

"Albus…he's out…well…snogging,"

"Oh Merlin…you saw them? You can't tell anyone!"

I felt a pang of jealousy inside me. "You already knew?"

Allison's cheeks went pink. "Al explained it to me because he knew that I…that I fancied him."

"Gods, I can't believe he would snog outside if he wanted it to remain a secret! Scorpius can't have moved on from Violet so quickly…"

I had said that a tad loud, so Allison shooed me into a darker side corridor. Two tall boys had been glancing in our direction.

"They were sneaking around even when Scorpius was with that cold fish."

I could only take so much shock in at one time. "So Albus was helping him cheat too? Oh that's really lovely! What if someone sees?"

"They won't if your trap stays shut…"Allison's voice trailed off as a shadow crept by us.

A dark eyed boy with a Slytherin snake patch sewn onto his robes drifted past me. He wasn't particularly attractive, and looked very familiar. He winked and smiled at us, revealing a set of ghastly teeth.

"Evening, ladies."

The boy gave us a curt nod and ambled slowly into the Entrance Hall.

* * *

By the end of April I didn't have to ask when Scorpius wanted me to meet him in the Astronomy Tower. It was always on Monday nights, and it was always at one in the morning. I usually just wore my cloak and that allowed me enough protection when walking up there. The Monday after my birthday had been stressful. I hadn't done as well as I had wanted to on my O.W.L practice exam in Transfiguration. Plus Rose had been acting completely weird. She was avoiding me and blushing every time I entered a room. All I needed was my own cousin to actually fancy me, truly. Then my circle of oddities could be completed.

When I entered the tower I already sensed something was off. The blond was usually there before me. I took off the cloak and looked around.

"Hello? Scorpius?"

"Why hello there," came an unexpected voice. It was deeper, rougher, and didn't sound at all like the Little Prince.

Suddenly I was surrounded by a trio of older Slytherin boys. One was old Flint, grinning away like a madman.

"We heard that you've been spreading some rumors about Malfoy,"

A shorter, stouter boy with bright blue eyes spoke from Flint's left. "Rumors that we don't really appreciate. You may be a pouf but don't drag his name into it."

My heart began to pound and I grasped my wand. _They knew_. I wasn't sure how, but _they knew_. They thought I was just going around saying Malfoy and I were together. My face flushed. Where was Scorpius?

"Leave me alone," I said with as much bravado as I could manage. Which unfortunately wasn't enough.

The three of them chuckled darkly. "You won't be needin' your wand," Flint almost growled.

Before I could make another move, a fist connected with the side of my head. I fell to the cold floor of the tower and drifted into unconsciousness.


	16. Bruised

A/N: Ahhh and my plot thickens once again haha. I should be starting the Scorpius companion story sometime soon so pay attention.

* * *

I woke up several hours later not remembering at all what had happened.

There was a soft bed beneath me. My chest hurt all over. There was this crazy soreness in my lower back that made my muscles feel aflame. I groaned feebly and twitched against the anesthetic scented sheets.

"Drink this," said a tender, female voice.

I opened one bleary eye and found myself looking at the school healer, Miss Pomfrey. Her mother had been the Hogwarts healer for like centuries but she retired in my first year. Now her daughter ran the infirmary with a much softer hand. She pushed the warm vial into my mouth and upended sticky liquid down my throat. I choked for a few moments before swallowing the potion. It tasted like black licorice. However, in mere seconds my pain began to recede.

"Thank you," I mumbled at her.

Miss Pomfrey nodded and ran her wand down my body like a sensor. "Who attacked you?"

Attacked? I swallowed hard. Oh right. Scorpius's mates had beat the life out of me. I blushed for a second. I really was weak.

"No…they came from behind,"

She nodded, still scanning me. "And they took you to the Astronomy Tower?"

I had to play dumb. No sense in getting Malfoy into trouble when I wasn't even tattling on his friends.

"Yes. I was…going to sneak into the library to do some extra studying for the exams…I'm sorry," I looked pathetically down at my chest.

The young healer nodded and patted my leg. "I'll have to inform Professor Turner about that love. But don't worry, he'll probably only deduct a few house points considering the severity of your injuries."

I blinked at her. How severe exactly were they? "Thanks…"

Pomfrey gave me another vial. "If you' are feeling better after that one, you may return to your dorm. No sense in keeping a child in the infirmary if he can get around himself,"

I watched her move my privacy bed curtains away from the mattress. My eyes widened in amazement when I saw the table in front of me. Three vases of flowers and several cards were sitting there. I choked on the potion, which brought Pomfrey's attention back onto me.

"You alright dear?"

"I just…I didn't expect those," I gestured towards the gifts.

Her face lightened up considerably. "They're all for you dear. Your brother even brought you some of your school robes to change into when you leave."

Pomfrey set the freshly pressed uniform beside me. Once she left me again I pulled the hospital gown down. Dark, nasty purple contusions were marked all over my pallid chest. I gasped a little. Why hadn't magic gotten rid of them? There was also a disgusting looking scar on my hip but that seemed to be healing. Hot, shameful tears burned in my eyes. Scor's mates did this to me…they thought I had fucking spread lies. When actually everything they heard had been true. I was just furious at whomever told them. Malfoy wouldn't have.

I got dressed without letting myself break down like a baby and cry. The biggest flower arrangement was from Athena. It was a, not a bouquet really, but a bushel of red and white roses. Although she had signed the card, she didn't really say anything. Not even a 'get well' message. The prettiest flowers were orange singing tulips from Allison. Her card was bright, cheery, and very much reminded me of her. I missed her smiles. The last arrangement was from Headmistress Randolph, with a note sating that she would promise to investigate my attack. The last card I expected to be handmade and from Malfoy. So I had to admit that my heart died when I read that it was from Rose and my family.

Her message said that she apologized and hoped that we could work something out. That confused me. What had she done that was wrong?

Then it dawned on me.

Rose had figured it out... And said something to someone else about me and Scor. Fury literally blinded me for half a second. I tried to jump out of my bed so I could go and kill her and nearly fell over from the pain of my bruises. I didn't cry out in case Pomfrey would have made me stay. I grabbed up the cards and binned them all. I just deserted the flowers. I rushed out of the hospital wing as fast as I could. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I knew I just had to throttle Rose when I got there.

However, all while I sprinted in rage, my mind kept chanting_…"He sent you nothing, nothing, nothing…"_

"_He probably visited." _I told my mind in rebuttal.

"_Dream on," _I heard my thoughts scoff.

You know your mental when your conscious disagrees with you.

I walked up the staircase to the third floor and heard a grunt. It broke me out of my frenzy, almost sending me falling on my arse.

Scorpius was on the stairs. And he looked very unhappy to see me.

"Hey…" I said warily. "Why, erm…didn't you stop by the hospital wing?"

His eyes, usually so full of spark, were cold and lifeless. "Sorry. Got a little busy."

I felt a cold, dead hand squeeze my heart. It was as if a Dementor had swallowed me whole.

"I'm sure."

He ran his pale, long fingers through his bright blond halo of a hairdo. Light from the stained glass window bounced off his head. Malfoy looked almost angelic. I could recall the same hand being all over me a few days ago. Those few days were starting to feel like several years. Now that I knew goodbye was surely approaching, my inner animal panicked. Pretty sure it was a rabbit. I felt the need to flee. I couldn't escape yet so I tried turning to sarcasm. I opened my mouth for some witty retort to come spilling out, but nothing did.

I couldn't do it anymore.

"Your mates, Scorpius…it was your mates who attacked me," I said it as softly as possible so my voice would not crack.

He sighed. Sighed as if I was just annoying him. "I know that, Albus."

_Albus_. No more Al. We might as well be strangers. My anger was swallowed by bitter disappointment.

"And you put them up to it?"

"What!" Scorpius yelped like a kicked house-elf. To be honest, I was happy to see a different emotion from him other than apathy. "I would _never_ do that!"

"I bet you sat with them today like nothing fucking happened," I was talking now for my own benefit. Who cared what the outcome would be?

Malfoy opened his mouth, but then shut it. I was right. Strike one.

"They're my mates…best mates,"

"Your best mates bruised me up so bad I'm basically purple. And guess what? They aren't going away! They kicked me and beat me until I blacked out! How'd they find out about us? Why didn't you…" I choked mid sentence. I felt suddenly woozy like I had to pass out. "Why didn't you stop them, Scorpius?"

I expected an apology. I should learn to never expect a pile of dung.

He gave me a long, hard stare with those cold silver eyes. I remembered the picture that I had set in a special place in my dorm. I remembered the way he had made me finally feel like I belonged if not somewhere, at least with someone. I fell into numbness where I stood. I would never be the same. None of the year had counted for anything. I would take my examinations and shove off for home basically the same person. Except for one fucking thing.

I would still love Scorpius. I could love him even when he shadowed me in hate.

How could I have dared to dream?

"Look…I have no idea who told them. I would have never approved of what they did."

Scorpius was right in front of me. But his words were so distant from my ears that he might as well have been talking to me from Neptune.

"Fuck it Malfoy. Shove your non-violent, peace loving fascism straight up your pompous arse,"

The words were not sarcastic. They were cruel. I absolutely hated it.

He seemed almost revolted. "Don't be so uncouth."

"Shove your vocabulary too,"

That's when Scorpius burst open. Anger, despair, sadness, and shame, came pouring out of him in streams. I could almost see all of the emotion drip down the staircase.

"Did you honestly think this could last? As if I could bring Albus Severus _Potter _home and announce to everyone that he was my boyfriend? You know what Theo and Martin and them did? Not half as bad as what my family would even say to you!"

My blood boiled inside my veins. "All you are is image. I'm so low to you that you wouldn't even come see me knocked out in a bloody hospital bed, but not so low to you that you'd be willing to suck on my prick?"

Malfoy's face turned a bright shade of scarlet. That, of all things, pleased me.

"Everyone's right. I'm a stuck up stupid fuck. I thought you gave a damn."

I was secretly thrilled that I could sound so cold. I just wished I didn't have to use that power on the only person who really meant anything to me. He went quiet before murmuring, under his breath,

"I did care."

The past tense to his voice was the final dagger in my back. I stepped away from Malfoy as though he had the plague. He hadn't just broken my heart. Scorpius had torn me right in half.

I pawed anxiously at my shirt sleeves. Everything around me had slowly changed. Changed without my permission or knowledge. Scorpius walked beside me too fast and I jolted away from him as though he had electrocuted me.

He frowned then turned to go downstairs. "See you around, Albus."

And he was gone. I listened to his shoes slap off the stone all the way down the stairs. The sound faded before my throat wrenched a tough sob. I wanted to drop to my knees and scream. But that would of course attract attention. And at that moment attention was the last thing I wanted. I stood quietly in the corridor for almost an hour. My legs started to throb but I didn't care. I didn't know where to go.

I could feel the tears on my cheeks. I just chose not to acknowledge them.

At least that I could still control.


	17. Advice Pt 1

A/N: The Scorpius companion story is now up. It's titled, "Oh My Darling Serpentine." For every two chapters of Hell, I have one chapter of Scor's pov. This story only has three chapters left, and I'm almost sad haha. I'm going to miss writing Al. And just in case everyone thinks I'm going to leave out any smut, it should be in the next chapter and maybe in the chapter after that as well. Thanks to everyone reading on here, on livejournal, etc. Even more thanks for reviewing! Enjoy.

* * *

I became hollow. It was a defense mechanism, of course. But it was needed. Required, really, for survival. I went back to my constant studying. I ignored everyone. Even Allison. I didn't bother trying to confront Rose after Scorpius had…had left me, in a manner of speaking. I didn't want to fucking talk to Rose because that would only remind me what happened. So I spent all my studying hours by myself in the library. I was pretty sure I had also lost Athena as a friend. She had starting sitting with other people in our classes together, at first probably to make me upset. But once she realized I just didn't care, neither did she.

There just wasn't a point anymore.

It became unbearably humid that May. I was sweating in the middle of the library, crowded by towers of books. My shirt was even sticking to my back in a layer of sweat. Nothing made a difference. Not even the drink I had hidden in my rucksack. My bruises had vanished from my skin. But that strange, jagged scar remained. I guess it was a reminder. A reminder to never ever let anyone get that close again.

Malfoy and Violet resumed dating two weeks after I was released from the hospital wing. It was a true estimate of my friendship with Allison that she hadn't bothered to give me a sickening look of pity. I had to endure his presence in class. I had been certain he would be all lovey dovey with her right in front of me, but he never was. In fact he ignored her. Actually, Malfoy looked miserable. I wanted to be able to wish that misery upon him. He deserved it. But I couldn't do that. The fact that he was so unhappy only made me feel worse.

A letter from Teddy arrived one morning before my O.W.L. practice exams. I paid the school owl and watched it fly up and out the open window in the Great Hall. I still wanted a snowy owl. My love for them could never fade.

_Albus-_

_You never answered my last letter and look,- I remember what happened at Christmas. I just didn't want to make things worse. You and James, you both are like brothers to me. What I did was inexcusable, even if I don't want to regret it. Vic moved out on me. Just up and left…I haven't spoken to anyone in weeks, not even my grandmother. I wasn't going to write since you didn't respond…but I realized maybe you were waiting for an apology. I'm sorry Albus. I hope you'll visit in July._

_- Teddy._

Part of me wanted to write back that yeah I would come see him. That I didn't regret it either. I pictured laying out on Ted's old duvet while he shagged my brains out. My imagination enjoyed it but I knew that image could never come true. It wouldn't be the same with Ted even if I did end up liking it. I didn't want some replacement. I wanted the real thing. I wrote back saying that I would visit sometime in summer and not to worry about the past. It had already happened and there was no way anyone could fix it. I smirked while writing, freezing my quill mid sentence. No matter what Scorpius said in the past, there could never be a way for me to forget his cold goodbye. I suddenly felt like bursting into tears over my breakfast. I squeezed my eyes shut. I had to figure out a way to bury the memories. I just had no clue how.

In the middle of my letter writing, a tall shadow grew over my paper. I found myself looking up at Lorcan Scamander.

"Hello Albus,"

I blinked at him and folded up my letter to Teddy. "Morning?"

"Fancy a walk?"

I gaped at him. Allison, who was sitting two seats away, had the same look on her face. She had even stopped her fork in mid air.

"Uh, sure thing." I stood up.

Lorcan walked away with a small smile on his face. Instead of walking side by side, I walked behind him all the way out into the bright sunshine outside. I followed Lorcan's bony arse down towards the lake.

"We can stop now," I sighed heavily. "What do you want?"

"What's wrong?" he asked me, his face totally unreadable.

I cocked my eyebrow at him and even let out my snort laugh. "Excuse me?"

"You won't talk to Rose. All she does is mope. Everyone in your family is worried…whispering. They like who you started to become, you know. I kind of did myself."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Lorcan stopped for a moment. I could tell he was rethinking what he wanted to say. "You changed this term. You started to…I don't know, talk more. You grew into yourself. Now you've clammed back up and I can't take it anymore."

I found myself once more gaping at the blond, blue eyed Lorcan. He was right.

"Things…change, I guess. I was let down in a way I didn't expect. When I should have…expected it." I rubbed the back of my neck. I couldn't meet his eyes.

"Of course you should expect to be let down. Everyone is. Everyone gets disappointed. But to take nothing from your disappointments only makes the disappointments more disappointing."

Lorcan started to pet my forearm. I had to process his sentence for a few moments before I realized he was making sense.

"You know, your smarter than you look."

"Thank you!" Lorcan beamed and hugged me tight to his narrow chest.

I couldn't help myself. I laughed for the first time in a long time.

When he let me go I realized Lorcan was basically his mother Luna incarnate. Completely mental verging on genius.

"Do you think I should give up on him?" I asked Lorcan, knowing even though he didn't know what I was talking about, he would have an answer.

"If you aren't ready to let it go, then don't. You'll only make yourself unhappy."

I nodded. I couldn't ever be ready to let Malfoy go. Not completely. He may have had his final words. I desperately needed my own for closure. I left Lorcan, who had started to pick flowers in the dirt beside the lake. I needed to think about what I wanted to say to Scorpius. I walked through a courtyard and found myself in a place I had never seen before. There was a huge fountain in the shape of a lion's head. Stretched out beneath the fountain were long stone paths lined with tall hedges. I walked through the tiny maze and attempted to focus myself.

Then I heard them.

"Shh, I swear I heard someone walk by…"

A tinkling voice that reminded me of wind chimes. It was Violet Nott.

My stomach clenched. If I interrupted her and Malfoy, I would probably drop dead and my whole self discovery bit would have gone to shit.

"Nah, I don't hear a sound, love."

This voice was dark. Deep. Very familiar, but it definitely wasn't Scorpius. It was Flint. I peered around the next hedge. It was hard but I even managed not to breathe. Flint had his thick gorilla arms wrapped tight around the petite Violet. Her shirt was unbuttoned and she wasn't wearing much else. Seeing way too much for my virgin eyes, I slipped away from the hedge and bolted from the courtyard.

Once I finally slowed down, I began to feel distraught again. Malfoy needed to know about Flint and Violet. But if I were to tell him? Fat chance in hell he would ever believe me. But I still wanted my peace. I needed it to live. Even if this life wasn't the one I could have had.


	18. Advice Pt 2

A/N: Ah, my lemon. I'll have a smaller one in the next chapter, just as a side note. This is the thrid to last chapter. I'm kind of sad bout' that...ah, well. I should also have a Teddy/Al oneshot coming up soon, so look out for that. Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy.

* * *

I didn't want to waste any more time. I've never had a lot of courage to begin with, so I really needed to take whatever I could get. I yanked the Marauder's Map out of my bag and prodded it. Scorpius was leaving Professor Turner's room off the sixth floor. I followed the dot with my eyes as I sprinted back into school. I nearly killed a group of first years going around the bend off the Entrance Hall. I had to reach Scorpius before he headed somewhere I couldn't follow, like the Slytherin chambers. But he didn't go down any of the staircases. Malfoy was heading upwards. I had to stop and catch my breath in the fifth floor corridor. He was still gaining height on me. I waited until the blasted dot finally froze inside an empty storage room near the entrance to North Tower. He was bloody stupid for being up there, considering that's where the old bat Trelawny lived. I followed him anyway.

I paused right outside the door to the storage room. It was closed tight. Obviously the Little Prince wanted to be alone. Well, this wasn't going to be a good day for him then. I burst through the entrance, in all my courageous glory, ready to tackle my hung up anger and misery-, only to see two tear tracks glistening on Malfoy's pale cheeks. Fuck me.

Obviously Scor didn't plan on being interrupted. There wasn't really anyone up here except for Trelawney so that had been pretty smart. I looked down at the floor half out of pity, the other out of embarrassment. Walking in on him crying was like walking in on James wanking. It was just something I should never have to see.

He wiped his face and stood up so fast the desk tipped over. Scorpius looked towards the window, rubbing furiously at his eyes.

"What the fuck do you want?"

I was so shocked to hear him actually curse I temporarily forgot what I had to say. "Erm…"

When he turned back in my direction, his face was free of any tears. "How did you even know I was here?"

I hated the tone of his voice. It was nothing at all like I had remembered.

"I'm stalking you, you buffoon. Oh Scorpius your just so bloody sexy I can't live without you! Insert swoon here, you maggot." I glared at him. I had the sudden urge to spit at his shoes.

His eyes widened a little and all the hatred in his eyes vanished. He hadn't been angry at me. I slowly slid out of my defensive stance and walked closer.

"I'm not interesting enough to stalk."

I nodded. "True. I found you because I had something to say,"

Scorpius locked in his eyes with mine for just a moment, then let out a hearty sigh. He sat down on another old desk. "Go ahead,"

"Er…well. You just cut me off. You had no right to do that…especially after what happened."

"That's true."

His voice wasn't cold. I never wanted to hear him sound like he had after my 'accident'. Like he couldn't stand to even look at me.

"I cared about you. You left to chase after some princess who you don't even really like,"

Scorpius winced as if I had just smacked him. "I know, Al."

I hated how my heart burst when he spoke my name. It was hard to be mean to him, despite what happened. I didn't want to get any closer to him though. I was desperately afraid of Scorpius. I would never tell him that of course.

"Why were you so…upset?"

I watched him curl into himself, leaning back against the window. "I'm not sure…I'm not sure about anything anymore, to be honest. I thought I knew exactly what my life was going to be like."

I walked towards him slowly, caution in my every step. "I never knew what my life would be like. I don't think anyone is really supposed to know something like that."

Scorpius wasn't a monster. It wasn't like I had ever believed he was. What was wrong, I wasn't sure. But some part inside me wanted _desperately_ to fix it.

"I thought I had some kind of plan, made just for me. I've fucked it all up."

"Watch the language," I quipped, smiling afterward.

Scorpius smiled with me. "How familiar,"

"I want to forgive you. But I will never forget that."

His somber eyes returned. "I know. I am so sorry Al."

Then, Scorpius did something that probably changed the course of both of our futures. He offered his arms out to me, opening them for me to embrace him. I couldn't help it. I crashed into his hard, warm chest and clung on so hard Scorpius almost wheezed. It felt so amazing to be back around him. Pretending he didn't exist had been futile. I never could have stopped the feelings for Scorpius. I needed to know if he felt the same way about me.

"You are such an arse," I said softly into his neck. I loved how his body shook with rough laughter.

"Story of my life."

"How do you feel about me, Scor?"

There was a moment of silence. His arms tightened around my torso until I started to feel lightheaded. Then I felt it. His lips left kisses down from my jawbone to past my neck and onto my shoulder. A small whimper came out of my mouth, which scared me. I didn't know I could sound so submissive. The noise only egged Scorpius on. His kissed down and started to unbutton my shirt so he could kiss down my chest as well. I looked so frail with my ribs prodding my flesh. Scorpius stroked my sides with his fingertips, making me squirm in his lap.

"I expected words…" I finally whispered. My words were tight as I held onto his thigh for support.

Scorpius just chuckled and licked around my right nipple, sucking and biting it until my skin reddened. "I'm not good with words."

I wriggled against his chest, trying desperately to convey that my trousers were getting uncomfortably tight. I couldn't believe that a few hours ago I had viciously detested the boy whose lap I was in. I wondered vaguely if he thought the same thing. But if he did, Scorpius never mentioned it. After a few more minutes of sucking on my chest and neck, he pulled the button open on my pants and slid them down to my thighs. I remembered the heated moment we had in the garden, and flushed with the arousal I suddenly felt. Scorpius caressed my crotch, kneading and squeezing my erection over my boxers. I squirmed even harder against his thigh.

"You want more already?" his voice had a tone I never heard before in all my life. It was lust. It was love. It was heat. It was need.

I was shocked that my voice had the same tone. "I _need_ more, Scorpius."

"Show me what you need, love…" his teeth dug deep into the most tender part of my neck.

I avoided moaning into the air and pulled his belt off, tossing it to the floor of the storage room. I remembered refusing to make love in the Astronomy Tower, not wanting to lose my virginity in such a weird place. It was kind of stupid how I was settling for a similar location. I guess that's just how my life worked. I tugged down Scorpius's trousers myself and pulled his cock free of any remaining fabric. I hadn't ever seen anyone else's…private parts, before. Especially having him so close…I nearly shivered. Scorpius rubbed my naked back, tracing my spine with his fingertip. I only shivered again. I was naked, in a Malfoy's lap. Oh what would my family say…

"I think you know what I want," I whispered shyly into his ear. I slowly slid over his hips.

Scorpius bit down into his lip and started to rub his hands below the globes of my arse. I felt him pull my cheeks apart, sliding his finger into the tight depth of my hole. It was too rough. I didn't want to be a girl and scream, so instead I bit into the blond's shoulder. He gasped in pain, but he didn't stop.

"Gods, do you have fangs or what…?"

"Sorry…that hurt." I whimpered into the bitemark.

He wriggled his finger in me on purpose. "I like when you bite me…"

"Freak," I grunted as Scorpius slid his finger in and out of my entrance.

He must have noticed the need for some kind of lubrication, because my arsehole was wet somehow when he slipped in another digit. I didn't bother asking. It felt good and warm and that was all I needed to know. He fingered me for what seemed like days. I felt stretched open and uncomfortable. I kept whining and wriggling against Scorpius's chest.

"It hurts…" I said softly, clawing like a kitten into his lap.

"I know…but you feel so tight, Al, I can't wait to fill your arse."

I blinked hard. I never blushed so deep in my entire life. He laughed at me, finally removing his fingers. I breathed a sigh of relief. The relief was very short lived, however. Scorpius positioned me over his thick, hard cock. I reached out and touched him, covering the length with my palm. I felt like a baby exploring things I had never known existed. He didn't mind, who would really? He watched me touch every inch of his cock, and he even moaned under his breath when my hand closed around his balls. I stared down at him. His fingers were pressed so hard into my hips I would probably have bruises there later on.

Scorpius took my hand away from his lower areas and made me wrap my limp arms around his neck. His cock head prodded my open, sore hole. I felt warm anticipation spread like fire up my abdomen. I wouldn't have been surprised if I had started to roar like a dragon in heat.

"This is how I feel,"

That was the last normal sentence I heard before I was split in two by Scorpius. His cock plunged so deep inside me I swear it touched my internal organs. Each thrust only took him deeper, which should have been impossible. I clung to him as he bounced me in his lap. My nails dug into his back, clawing so roughly I felt warm blood on my fingertips. I heard Scorpius moan loudly each time I broke open more skin. He was so demented. I loved it. I tore into his neck with my teeth, burying my moans into his flesh. With each bounce I felt my body become overwhelmed with insane, passionate fire. There was no other word for it.

Then, something changed in our fucking. Malfoy pulled me back so my arse was further away. He kept thrusting, only slower. He still reached just as deep. Only now we had eye contact. I didn't blush at all. I kept my eyes in sync with his, realizing that he wasn't fucking me anymore. Scorpius was making love to me. I nearly started to purr, clawing into his thighs for support so I wouldn't tumble off the desk. That was how he felt? It was better than any words I could have ever came up with. His cock stretched me open much wider than just his fingers. It burned and hurt more than any kind of pain I had ever felt. But I liked how it inflamed me from the inside. Scorpius came first, making me yelp in surprise. His cum dripped down over my thigh, I could feel it on my skin. He only started to thrust faster after he came. The sudden drive made me fall back against the wall.

Scorpius was fucking me again. I came against his stomach. He pulled me into him so I would feel the sticky liquid on me as well. I couldn't stand on my own anymore, so he picked me up from against the wall and held me while he sat on the desk. I couldn't breathe so well either. I never really imagined losing my virginity. Probably because I never thought it would happen.

I never ever pictured feeling like that. At that moment, I knew I loved Scorpius, I loved his flaws, I loved his eyes, his anger, his vocabulary. I didn't even have to say it. When I finally had the courage to look at him, I saw that the blond was already watching me. He knew I loved him. There was no more doubt to hide behind. That was frightening, but we had to deal.

"Violet cheats on you," I blurted out into his chest. I had no clue why that of all things decided to come out of me, but there was no taking it back.

Scorpius never stopped rocking me in his lap. "I know that."

I glanced up at him. "You do? Why don't you leave her?"

"I don't know," Scorpius said, his brow furrowing.

"You are very indecisive, my little door mat."

I kept my eyes on him but he said nothing. Only smiled and pulled me tight into his chest.


	19. Water

A/N: After this chapter, the last post will be the epilogue. Sigh. Thank you to everyone who has ever read, reviewed, or even added this story to their favorites. I know HIAHB is not a perfect story. I don't have time to wait for a BETA to check through my fanfiction. I have a part time job, plus classes and I write my own fiction. So, once again, thanks 3. Please keep reading Scorpius's side of the story in, _My Darling Serpentine_, which now has three chapters :). Also, please check my page because I hope to start working on a new story with Teddy, Albus, Lorcan, and some shota themes.

Please, enjoy. Be wary of the sexual content.

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"_One of the most accomplished witches of the seventeenth century, as well as the most published author in her time…"_

O.W.L's were the death of me. My best had surprisingly been Transfiguration. I suppose I could credit Rose with my definite O grade but I still wasn't speaking to her. She knew exactly why, especially when Scorpius finally acknowledged me in public. I wasn't sure if it was the sex that tipped him over to the side of normal or not. He didn't acknowledge me as a lover or boyfriend or anything like that. Just as a human. Which was glorious enough for me.

I had just hid from Athena, who had been walking by with her new boyfriend, who happened to be no one other than Erik the Seventh Year. Allison had concealed me behind a tapestry.

"She's going to confront you eventually," Allison whispered through the fabric.

"I know, I know." I slid out from my hiding spot and readjusted my bag.

Allison started to say something, probably about the Charms practical exam we had just completed, when Rose stopped walking beside us.

"Hey Rose…" Allison said politely, but not as friendly as she used to. That sparked a bit of pride in me. She was more my friend than Rose's.

"How'd your test go? My examiner was brutal…"

They started to discuss the O.W.L exams as if I wasn't even there. I didn't really mind. It felt rather nice to be invisible again. I had spent four years living that way, after all. I suppose I had completed my fifth year goal. I wasn't a kid anymore, in most ways. I was still sarcastic, but I wasn't as mean. I developed empathy. Maybe I was a little too late to totally feel for people, but at least I had feeling in myself. While Allison and Rose were babbling, Scorpius walked by all by himself. No girls latching on. No friends hanging on his every word. Just him.

"Hey Al," he nodded his head in my direction and smiled. I could swear he even winked.

I inclined my head back, smiling as well. "Scorpius,"

The blond kept eye contact with me all the way down his corridor until he turned to go upstairs. It wasn't until then I realized Rose and Allison had stopped talking. My cousin's eyes were bigger and rounder than two dinner plates. Allison had the most amusing smirk curved on her face.

"I knew it." I heard her laugh softly. Rose just looked scandalized and quickly fled from us as if we had some contagious disease.

My last O.W.L ended up being practical Astronomy. It took place way after midnight up in the Astronomy tower. I felt a bit strange just standing there. I hadn't been in that place since Flint and his filthy mates had attacked me. Plus, my telescope ended up being two away from where Athena was standing. She ignored me of course. That didn't make it less weird.

Astronomy wasn't my best subject. I had such a hard time finding the moons like they were displayed on my chart. It didn't help that the examiner had a hard on for me. He wouldn't leave my side for about fifteen minutes. I finally just stopped all movement until he started to feel awkward, then he coughed and thankfully, left. I didn't get to finish all my charts. In fact I was one of the last students left standing until time ran out. I sighed when my scrolls zoomed out of my hands and landed on top of the completed ones. I would hopefully get an A, but I wasn't counting on it.

I left the tower by myself. I was just climbing down the ladder when two hands grasped my waist and squeezed. I yelped and nearly fell to the ground.

It was Scorpius. I hit his chest a few times weakly while he laughed at me.

"Very funny. You almost scared me to death," I complained while he set me on the ground in the empty hallway.

"Yeah yeah, you're alright. Look, I know somewhere quiet where we can celebrate the end of the examinations... properly." Scorpius's voice was husky, his breath tickled my ear.

The entire idea made me quiver in excitement. "Better than a party?"

"Oh. Much better," he kissed my cheek and grabbed my hand.

I yelped again when Scorpius yanked me down through a strange navigation of corridors I had never seen before. We weren't going into the bowels of the school, which I silently thanked Merlin for. The dungeons were about as welcoming to me as the Astronomy tower.

"I doubt anyone will be in here," he said more to himself than to me. We were up on the fifth floor.

"Where are we even going?" I said half out of breath from sprinting down the stairs.

Scorpius didn't answer me. He went to the fourth door in the long hallway, near a statue of Boris the Bewildered. I watched him mumble something like a password. There was a click in the lock of the door and Scorpius swung it open for me. It was a loo. A really gorgeous one. The left side of the room was all toilets and sinks. But on the opposite side was probably the largest bathtub in existence. There were about fifty different taps all across the edge. The thing was deeper than a bloody swimming pool. There was a painting overlooking the tub, but whatever subject usually resided in the canvas was missing because it was just a large wet rock. I looked under the painting, where hundreds of fluffy white towels were lined up.

"Is this the prefect's bathroom?" I finally asked Scorpius. I regretted turning towards him, because he was already nearly undressed.

You would think I would adjust to seeing him undress, considering we had already made love. Maybe if it had been with someone pointless. But not with Scorpius. He didn't even have to be naked to excite me. Usually he just had to breathe. Seeing him naked still made my face flush pink.

"It is. I never really used it before for a bath. It was usually occupied whenever I dropped by," Scorpius knelt beside the gargantuan tub and started turning on several of the taps.

I'll admit I let my eyes stray from his exposed back long enough to be amazed by the different water effects. One filled the tub with warm water, faster than I would have expected. Another added pink bubbles, and another added a floral scent into the bath. My eyes were back to Scorpius once he undressed completely and vanished into the bubbles and water. We only had sex the one time. It was hard to find that kind of privacy at random. This was apparently a planned affair. At least, it was to Scorpius. I undressed as fast as I could and jumped in purposely. Water splashed everywhere-, including straight into Malfoy's eyes.

"You're a little git," he sputtered, wiping soap off his face.

I smirked and splashed his chest. The water smelled so good I kind of wanted to drink it. "I'll admit the bathtub is extraordinary. But I don't see how swimming in your dirty water is more fun than a party,"

Scorpius closed his arms around me tight, pulling me over to the side of the tub. Water rushed over my hips and legs.

"Not fun enough for you yet? Oh well I'll have to fix that. No one has ever called me boring," his teeth clenched down hard into my neck, making me gasp.

"Not yet," I practically dared him.

The look in his pretty gray eyes told me I would get what I asked for. His hands ran down the length of my arms, pinning me back against the edge of the bathtub. He bit up and down my neck until a pattern of teeth marks imprinted into my skin. Then Scorpius kissed me. That was still the most intense part for me. I submitted, always, easily, when he kissed me. I loved how he made me feel owned and desired. Scorpius bit down into my lip, pulling it slowly into his mouth where he licked at it. I sensed his arms hook around me tight. I was unaware he was going to lift me out of the warm water and nearly screamed when he did so. Scorpius didn't explain why with words. He never did. He spread my thighs open instead, and buried his head between them. I laid down with my back rubbing against the cold floor of the loo. I always found it hard to breathe after kissing Scorpius.

His lips brushed against my hole before he licked against it. Slowly, he twirled his tongue in small circles, almost urging the pert entrance open. He slid his tongue in deep, which made me panic a little. I didn't really know why he would want to do this for me. It felt so odd but good at the same time. I ran my hands up and down my chest, then slowly buried my fingers in his thick blond hair. I didn't get the point of his actions until he moved a finger into me as well, prodding it just as deep. I moaned out loud and yanked a little too hard on his hair. I could feel a few strands fall out onto my leg.

Pain excited Scorpius. That was a dark part about him. Not for me to be in too much pain, but he loved when I scratched, bit, or tugged on any part of his body. I could feel him groan softly into my arse when I yanked out his hair. Being as young as we were, that frightened me. It frightened me because it was so insanely arousing.

He slipped his tongue gently from my hole along with his finger. He forced the digit into my mouth, making me suck on it while I still was laid flat on the ground. Scorpius was half in the water, the rest of him was propped up by his tremendous forearms. Once he was satisfied he pulled us both back into the warm bath water with a small splash.

I could feel his hands all over me. I couldn't see too much because of all the bubbles and steam. Scorpius was kissing my neck, licking over the bite marks he had already created. It was then I realized I hadn't ever done anything for him except sit on his cock and cry like a two year old when it split me in two. Which was ecstasy, by the way. I wanted to make Scorpius feel amazing. Just like he did for me. I slipped out of his grasp and pushed him towards the edge of the tub so I knew where he was.

"What is it…?" he asked, his voice nothing but a breathy whisper.

Mine was almost the same, only lighter if that was possible. "Nothing…just let me do this,"

I could see him nod and push wet hair out of his eyes. I went beneath the water while clinging to Scorpius's chest so I didn't get confused. I managed to open my eyes a little to where I could see his hard, beautiful cock bobbing in the pretty colored water. I licked at it at first until I almost choked on bubbles. I had to come up for air then re-submerge myself. The second time I swallowed his cock whole. I wasn't sure how, considering its monstrous size. I could feel Scorpius's muscles contract as he twitched against the side of the tub. It was more complicated than I had imagined. I guess going underwater to suck him off hadn't been the most intelligent plan. But I had never done anything like that before, so every part of it was thrilling to me. Once I managed to get it all down without drowning, I began to lick around the base and suck at the root. I loved how he squirmed under my ministrations. Maybe being in control wasn't that frightening.

I let go of his cock and finally came up for air. I quickly kissed his neck, beside his Adams apple. My hand was still groping his sack beneath the water. I could feel the stiff tip of his prick nudge up against my stomach.

"Al you could have drowned…" Scorpius murmured softly into my dripping red hair.

I shook my head and gave his sack a rough squeeze. "It would have been worth it."

I could feel his throat vibrate as he laughed. "You didn't finish,"

"Then sit up on the edge…I want to swallow it, not have it float past me into the bath. That's sickening," I must have made a face because he smiled at me as he sat up onto the edge of the tub.

Scorpius gently tugged my hair, forcing my head down so his entire cock slid down my throat again. It was strangely more difficult above water. I guess that was just another freakish thing about me. I swallowed hard against his precum, digging my nails down his thighs. That seemed to turn him on more than anything. I dragged my teeth over the tip, licking down into it. His breathing turned soft, he was moaning in quiet little pants. The sound made my own cock harden up against the rough wall of the bathtub. I started to quickly move Scor's prick in and out of my throat. It was hard not to stop and gag but I resisted. I wanted to taste him more than anything.

"You better swallow it all. I loved tasting yours," he whispered softly into my ear before warm, thick cum coated the back of my throat.

I choked and sputtered a little, quickly slipping my mouth off the head. I swallowed every drop though and licked him clean afterwards. It was bitter verging on sweet. I crawled into Scorpius's lap and had the urge to purr like a satisfied kitten. I wasn't totally content, of course. I thrust my stiff, seeping cock against Scorpius's muscular abdomen and wiggled.

"I told Violet to fuck off this morning." Scorpius said calmly as he slowly pumped my cock in his fist.

"That's probably the sexiest thing you have ever said to me," I groaned into his chest and bucked against his hand.

I could sense his smirk as he tugged harder on my prick. "I can do much better if you'll let me…"

I groaned and clawed his shoulders, cumming all over his hand and abdomen. "I'll always let you."

There was a moment of silence as Scorpius held me tight in his arms, rubbing my cum into his skin with his fingers. I watched him as I breathed softly, getting turned on all over again.

"Oh what a show. Please continue for round two?"

I nearly had a heart attack. Scorpius threw me into the bathtub and jumped in right beside me. The voice had been hard and entirely female. I looked up at the painting. A mermaid was sitting on the wet rock, grinning and winking down at us.

"Potter, right? Your father never did anything _this_ fun when he visited my bathroom. He played with eggs and little girl ghosts." The mermaid gave me a sultry smile and added, "You have _much_ better taste…"

Scorpius burst out laughing as his arms slowly curled around my waist beneath the water.


	20. Albus's Epilogue

A/N: Thank you for all of the comments, on here and on live journal. I had fun writing this. I hope everyone enjoys the final post.

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The last day of school brought a bit of heaviness to my heart and mind. I felt different. That could be explained easily, because I was different. I hadn't done so well in my studies in my entire life. I wasn't a virgin. I wasn't a recluse. Yet, I still felt like myself. I thought perhaps I was an entirely different person. I was still Albus Potter. Just a second version. I still hated most people. I detested Divination. I still knew James was probably the stupidest prat on earth. But I could see Athena's vanity and stay away just as easily as I could recognize Allison's kindness. I hadn't made up with Rose. I knew there would be a time for that. But she was still wary when I came around and she usually ended up leaving the area. That was okay with me. I knew it hadn't been on purpose even if I was still angry at her.

The hardest part of going home was of course leaving Scorpius. At home he would still be the Little Prince. He would sound like a stranger. I wasn't even sure if I would get to speak to him before we boarded the train. Scorpius was still totally about appearances. He would probably die before he would come into my train compartment. So instead he pulled me to the side while everyone was walking down to Hogsmeade station. He lead me behind a few thick oak trees and kissed my lips softly. I almost burst into tears. It wasn't a passionate, loving kiss. It was mournful.

"I'm going to miss you like mad," Scorpius whispered into the hair at the base of my neck.

He had laughed off his comment right after he said it.

"I'll miss you even more than that. Will you write back if I write to you?"

Scorpius stared long and hard into my eyes before he answered. "I promise. Hopefully we 'run into each other' in Diagon Alley before next term…"

There was a sultry sound in his voice that struck at my heartstrings. Even if I never slept with him again, I would always love Malfoy. Until the very day I died.

"I think I could manage that. Maybe we could disappear into a shop together and not come out for a few hours…"

He laughed, nice and low. "Hell-, we might be gone for a few days. The Leaky Cauldron always has vacancies."

I clung to him like the lost child I felt like. What would I do without him for two months?

"You know you're an arrogant rich snot, right?"

"Of course my little reject." Scorpius kissed me again, this time it wasn't so somber. I felt emotion behind it. Like he could take me right there behind the fucking tree.

That's what I loved. That's what I needed. For every moment to feel like it had on Halloween night.

I wanted to say so many things to Scorpius. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him. I wanted to tell him I couldn't stand being without his arms around me every second. I needed him to know how no one else would ever bring me the kind of happiness he provided for me just by calling me Al. But I didn't know how to explain myself without sounding like a complete fool. So I just bit into his Adams apple and smirked.

"Behave," I said softly into Scorpius's bruised neck.

"You first." He replied, his mouth mimicked my smile.

I slowly let my arms fall away from Scorpius. It felt too weird to call him my boyfriend even in my own head. So instead I forced my brain to refer to the blond as my lover. Scor would laugh his arse off if he knew that, so of course I would keep my mouth shut.

"What about Violet?' I asked him, blinking hard against the sunshine that was beaming down on Hogsmeade.

He shrugged. "She took my offer to break up. Doubt my parents will be too happy…"

"I'm really sorry."

"Well, I'm not." Scorpius winked. "Erm, you have company,"

He pointed down the hill. Allison was standing there with Lorcan Scamander. Ally was giggling like mad. Lorcan was trying to catch a butterfly. I laughed at the pair of them and looked back at Scorpius.

"Guess this is goodbye…for now?" I bit into my lip hopefully.

"Yes, goodbye. Definitely for now…"

There was a trace of sadness in his voice that only lasted for a few seconds.

"Well…"

"We've got a train to board." Scorpius rubbed my shoulder affectionately before walking down the hill to the path.

I followed him, but we stayed distant. He walked alone while I walked beside Lorcan and Allison. They chattered about the weather and all sorts of boring things. I knew I would have to get used to being apart from Scorpius. I just really didn't _want _to. I had to face Jamie and Mum…my O.W.L results. Not to mention Teddy Lupin. I sighed while pulling myself into the giant, steaming scarlet engine. I looked back at Scorpius hoping to just catch one more look. I smiled to see him already staring back at me. My mind flashed to so many memories. I could see us in our first year, both nervous as hell on our first ride to school. Or in third year when I accidentally knocked over his cauldron in Potions class. I saw him in his Quidditch garb. Me in my ratty old gloves and scarf-, staring at him through the Three Broomstick's front window. I suppose everything happens for a reason. I had no clue what exactly had drawn us towards each other and forced us to cross paths.

I was just happy that something had come at all.

**End.**

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Please remember to leave me a comment! I always love reading each and every one. Just a final pimping and I swear I'm done haha. Please check out, _Oh My Darling Serpentine_. It is insanely fun to write as Scorpius.** I plan to have some Albus/Lorcan, Albus/Teddy stories out so please look for those. **And finally. If you have a livejournal, GO ON TEDDYFEST'S SITE AND READ THE SUBMISSIONS! They will be out in July. Thanks! Much love**.  
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